Five Palestinians killed, commander of resistance committees survived Israeli bombardment

The general commander of the Palestinian people's resistance committee Jamal Abu Sanhadaneh has survived an Israeli assassination attempt in southern Gaza. News reports said that Samhadaneh and three of his escorts of leading figures of the resistance groups were injured when one Israeli reconnaissance plane launched a missile that blew up their car on the road between Khan Younis and Rafah.

The status of the injured Palestinians was described as stable. This is the second time in which Samhadaneh survived an Israeli assassination attempt.

The number of Palestinians killed as a result of the Israeli bullets in Rafah increased to five while one injured Palestinian is staying in one Israeli hospital after his detention.

The reports indicated that the occupation forces fired one tank missile and machine guns fire at a group of Palestinian youths monitored by the Israeli soldiers at the border of Gaza with Egypt. Israeli military sources said that the group was armed and was seemingly preparing for an attack or weapons smuggling operations.

This came, however, amid Israeli statements over preserving what Tel Aviv calls calm in the absence of the Palestinian attacks.

The Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon announced yesterday that the Israeli forces will abstain from launching any strike attacks against the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza if the Palestinian authority will be able to ensure cease fire with the Palestinian groups.