military which claimed it responded to massive rocket attacks at Israeli towns.
Four Hamas fighters were killed when Israeli aircraft fired missiles at the two vehicles in which they were riding east of Gaza City on Saturday, September 24, Palestinian security officials said.
They were members of Hamas and one of the dead was identified as Rawad Farhat, of a family known to be associated with Hamas, news reports quoted officials as saying.
Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz ordered the "crushing blow" on Gaza, after he said Islamic militants from Hamas fired more than 20 rockets at Israeli towns injuring five Israelis, the Voice of America (VOA) network reported.
ISRAELI FORCES
In addition Israeli ground forces were massing on the Gaza border, and the West Bank was been sealed off, Saturday, September 24. Israel has said there will be "zero tolerance" for Palestinian attacks following its Gaza pullout.
In a published statement Hamas vowed revenge for the deadly Israel Air Force strike calling on its people to strike Israel "in every spot of our occupied land." The group’s military wing issued a statement declaring a state of alert in the West Bank and Gaza and urging its members to "take extreme caution and security measures."
The statement called on all "cells to respond to the crimes of the enemy and hit them in every spot of our occupied land … to avenge the blood of our martyrs and teach [Israel] a lesson."
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was to convene his security-diplomatic Cabinet Saturday night in Tel Aviv to discuss the situation, news reports said. "No doubt that any kind of attack against the sovereign state of Israel requires us to take very harsh measures to make certain that these attacks are stopped and not repeated," added government spokesman Ra’anan Gissin.
19 PEOPLE KILLED
After 19 people were reportedly killed and dozens injured in an explosion at a Hamas rally at the Jabalya refugee camp in north Gaza, Friday afternoon, September 23 Hamas blamed Israel. However Israeli and Palestinian officials said the blast occurred inside a vehicle carrying Hamas Qassam rockets and was not the result of Israeli army fire.
Militants fired rockets after at least 15 Palestinians were killed in an explosion on Friday. The blast occurred as gunmen displayed weapons during a military parade at a Gaza refugee camp. Hamas blamed Israel, but the Palestinian Authority said the blast was caused by militants who mishandled explosives.
Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat told VOA News that Hamas should stop parading weapons, and abide by the seven-month-old cease-fire. "Seeking revenge or violence will only add to the complexities, and will harm Palestinian interests," Erekat said.
SUICIDE MUSEUM
Israeli officials issued a strong warning to the Palestinian Authority: if it does not take action to rein in militants, Israel will, VOA reported. The latest developments come amid outrage in Israel over plans by Hamas to open a ‘suicide museum’ in a Gaza synagogue. Hamas, sworn to the destruction of Israel, has said it wants to use the museum to show tools for its suicide attacks.
The tensions have also raised concern among Christians in the area. The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, an organization supporting Israel, said it was especially worried about about the situation of 2,500 children of Jewish settlers who were recently forced to withdrawn from 25 Jewish communities in Gaza and northern Samaria as part of the historic withdrawal from the area.
"We are particularly concerned about how over 2,500 school-age children will adjust to their new surroundings this fall, and Israeli school and social workers are already approaching us for help," said ICEJ in a message from Jerusalem. (With BosNewsLife Research and reports from Israel).
