Following Palestinian bombardment wounding 14 Israelis, Israel incur in Khan Younis wounding scores of Palestinians
Palestine-Israel, Military, 5/14/2003

Israeli settlers and 6 soldiers were injured yesterday in a bombardment that targeted the settlers of Sderout and Neve Dekalim.

Just few hours after the bombardment, the Israeli tanks incurred under a cover of helicopter attacks into Khan Younis. Palestinian medical and security sources said that 26 Palestinians were injured as they were hit by the shells of missiles fired by an Israeli helicopter and an artillery bombardment from the Israeli tanks.

The director of Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, Haidar al-Qidra, said that the wounded are in very "critical health conditions."

A security source said that the Israeli army destroyed by explosives or bulldozers several Palestinian houses in al-Samasima quarters near the western Khan Younis quarters amid intensive fire and artillery bombardment.

Scores of Israeli tanks and armored vehicles, escorted by military bulldozers incurred into Khan Younis and the surrounding quarters. More than 20 Israeli tanks incurred into al-Qarrar town to the east of Khan Younis before joining the tanks which were breaking into the camp.

Eye witnesses said that violent fire was exchanged between Palestinian gunmen and the Israeli army. An eye witness said he saw "the resistance men detonated at least one Israeli tank." Meantime, it was announced that the meeting between the Palestinian prime minister Mahmoud Abbas ( Abu Mazin) and the Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon will be held on Saturday evening, while Sharon had decided to boycott the High Representative for European Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, who intends to meet with the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. However, Sharon met with the Greek foreign minister George Papandreau despite the fact that the latter had met with the Palestinian leader.

Israeli military sources said that three persons were wounded when a missile was fired from Gaza's northern area at the industrial zone in Sdeirout ( Negev). The sources added that the missiles hit a warehouse in one factory and fire was set.

Al-Quds groups, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad movement claimed responsibility for launching "Quds 1" missiles at Sdeirout and that was a "reply to the occupation crime and a confirmation on the option of resistance and martyrdom." The sources said that five settlers and 6 Israeli soldiers were injured yesterday morning by mortars fired by Palestinians to the south of Gaza at Ghoushe Katif settlement.

On the other hand, Palestinian security sources said the Israeli army demolished the house of member of the Hamas movement, detained since one year near Qalqilya. The Israeli forces also destroyed three buildings under construction in Nablus.

An Israeli military spokesman said that the army destroyed one building in Nablus used for "piling explosives to be used in bombs." The Israeli army detained in Nablus on Monday evening 6 Palestinians, including one woman.

Meantime, a high ranking Palestinian official said that Sharon and Abu Mazin will be meeting on Saturday evening. The official added that "Abbas will meet on Saturday with Sharon in order to get his consent on the roadmap as the US Secretary of State Colin Powell was unable to get the green light on that from Israel," to carry out the said international peace plan. The source did not explain the place for convening his first meeting between the two officials since Abu Mazin's elections on April 30th.

Previous Stories:
  Three Palestinians killed by Israeli forces   (5/13/2003)
  Powell calls for honoring living conditions of Palestinians, Sharon calls on Abbas to fight Intifada, one Palestinian killed   (5/12/2003)
  Palestinian official statement on the Road Map   (5/12/2003)
  Bombarding 7 houses, Israel renews rejection to right of return home to Palestinian refugees   (5/10/2003)
  Six Palestinians killed by Israel; Palestinian blows up himself at an Israeli check point   (5/9/2003)
  Three Palestinians killed, 12737 displaced by the Israeli forces   (5/8/2003)

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