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http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-363305,00.html The Times (London) July 23, 2002 12 dead in Israeli attack on home of Hamas chief By Our Foreign Staff AT LEAST 12 Palestinians were killed by an Israeli F16 strike in Gaza last night, with conflicting reports over whether the dead included the head of Hamas�s military wing. The missile attack on the home of Sheikh Salah Shehada, the founder of the fundamentalist group�s armed Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, left more than 100 injured and threatened to destroy fledgeling moves towards negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians. The wounded were rushed for medical treatment by rescue workers, who had to pull children from the wreckage of Sheikh Shehada�s house and at least four others destroyed in the late-night attack. Sheikh Shehada, a fiery preacher and former student leader at Gaza�s militant Islamic University, was one of Israel�s most wanted men and his death � should it be confirmed � would be one of the most significant results of Israel�s policy of targeting leading militants for assassination. The strike came in a densely populated residential area of Gaza City, only days after Hamas, which formally refuses to recognise the state of Israel, indicated that it would offer an end to suicide-bomb attacks if Israel�s Armed Forces withdrew from the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip. Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas�s Gaza spokesman, said the Sheikh Shehada�s wife and three of their children were killed, but although initial reports said he was among the dead, Hamas officials and loudspeaker announcements across Gaza later denied this, saying only that he was wounded. Nevertheless Mr Haniyeh gave warning to Israel that retribution would follow. �Not only will Hamas take revenge for the martyrs, all the Palestinian people will unify to revenge for the blood of the martyrs,� he said. It would appear that attacks on Israeli targets are likely in the coming days. Hamas�s military wing has killed dozens of Israelis in suicide-bomb attacks in recent months and launched mortars against Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip. Ariel Sharon, Israel�s Prime Minister, appeared to threaten a large-scale Israeli strike on Gaza two months ago, but this was called off at the last minute. Instead it has resumed direct strikes on leading militants, of which last night�s attack was the latest. Before the strike Shimon Peres, Israel�s Foreign Minister, said that his country was ready to withdraw soldiers from reoccupied areas of the West Bank to which calm had returned, leaving security in the hands of Palestinian forces prepared to stop violent attacks on Israelis. Mr Peres said the initial withdrawals could come first in the Bethlehem, Hebron and Jericho. Armed clashes broke out between Palestinians and Israeli troops later in the south of the Gaza Strip after news of the airstrike spread. Hundreds of armed Palestinians left Khan Yunis refugee camp and confronted Israeli soldiers near the Jewish Gush Katif settlements. Sustained shooting broke out and Israeli tanks moved in, witnesses said. Loudspeaker appeals were made from mosques in Gaza City and Khan Yunis for Palestinians to come out on the streets and demonstrate against the raid. Pragmatists within Hamas are said to favour recognising the reality that Israel�s military superiority means it cannot be removed from the region and to declare an informal ceasefire, tolerating, if not recognising, its foe. Diehards, however, believe that by compromising its principles Hamas will lose ground to Yassir Arafat�s Fatah movement and others who support a �two state solution�. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Health - Feel better, live better http://health.yahoo.com --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.bacIlu Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
