others as part of what was described as its biggest military raid in 30 months of conflict, news reports said Sunday, April 20.
Army officials said at least one soldier was killed in Sunday’s operation in the Palestinian refugee camp of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip.
Journalists saw dozens of Israeli tanks, backed by attack helicopters, entering Rafah and forces were seen using armoured personnel carriers, bulldozers and jeeps in the attack against the camp near Egypt and home to some 60,000 people.
Frightened residents said the crackle of gunfire could be heard all around. "I was sitting outside with some friends playing cards when suddenly we came under fire," Marwan Khatib, 39 told the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
HITTING BULLETS
"Bullets hit the wall next to us and tanks were coming toward us very fast."
The Israeli army suggested the operation was part of its efforts to fight terrorism, saying that soldiers destroyed two tunnels used for "smuggling weapons under the Gaza-Egypt border", the Voice of America (VOA) network reported.
Israeli troops reportedly blew up the house of local Hamas leader Mahmoud Abu Shamala, whose organization has been linked to out suicide bombings and other terrorist attacks against Israel.
VOA quoted Israel Radio as saying that Shamala had been killed in the operation. In response to the raid, Palestinians fired three Kassam rockets from the Gaza Strip at the Israeli town of Sderot. One of the missiles hit a building in the center, wounding one woman and setting the structure on fire, news reports said.
JOURNALIST KILLED
The latest clashes came a day after Israeli troops killed several Palestinians including the Associated Press Television News (APTN) Cameraman Nazeh Darwazeh, 43, who was shot in the head by an Israeli soldier in Nablus, reporters and medics said.
"Nazeh was a courageous cameraman who worked fearlessly to ensure that events in Nablus were reported internationally," stressed Nigel Baker, director of content for APTN. "We are demanding a full and speedy inquiry by the Israeli defense force to ensure that the cause of this needless death is established."
The latest fighting comes amid arguments between Palestinian prime minister designate Mahmoud Abbas and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat over the formation of a new cabinet. The row threatens to delay plans to publish Washington’s so-called roadmap for peace, the BBC said.
