attacks" in Israel to revenge the killing of at least six members of its armed wing in Gaza a day earlier.
Also on Monday, the head of the Hamas military wing in the Gaza Strip was shot and killed when soldiers, who had set up a surprise road-block to catch him, surrounded his car. They reportedly shot Riyad Abu Zeid when he raised his gun, although there was no independent confirmation.
The incidents came shortly after Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz told a weekly Cabinet meeting his troops would hit hard at Hamas as the handrail group claimed an explosion Saturday, February 15, which destroyed an Israeli tank killing four soldiers in northern Gaza.
The mine that killed the soldiers was reportedly set off because the tank deviated from its intended route.
Although the tank explosion was also claimed by Islamic Jihad and the Al- Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, an offshoot of Yasser Arafat’s nationalist Fatah movement, Israel pointed the finger to Hamas.
"SERIOUS BLOW"
"Israel will land a serious blow against the Hamas infrastructure in the Gaza Strip," Mofaz reportedly said before Sunday’s attack in in the El Zeitoun neighbourhood which also injured several people. Reporters saw about 100,000 mourners, including hundreds of militants shooting in the air, thronged through Gaza City in the memorial for the six killed Hamas members.
Hamas officials said they died when a remote-controlled glider they were working on blew up on Sunday, February 16, after Israel "planted" the bomb in the plane, although the Israeli army has so far refused to discuss details.
Hours after the incident, a Hamas leaflet was reportedly circulated declaring the six were planning to pack the drone with explosives and blow it up inside Israel.
"BOOBY TRAPPED"
"It was a booby-trapped dummy. The Zionists managed to kill those heroes but they will never escape punishment," the Reuters news agency quoted Hamas leader Abdel Aziz al- Rantissi as telling mourners through a loudspeaker.
"There will be more martyrdom operations (suicide attacks) inside the Zionist entity," he added. Memorial services were also expected for at least two Palestinians who were apparently also killed by Israeli forces in Nablus Sunday, February 16.
The army said Palestinians fired at troops from a number of directions. Meanwhile the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) also noted Monday, February 17, "a series of show-downs in the Gaza Strip."
TENSIONS RISE
It said tensions between Hamas and the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) "are heating up in the Gaza Strip ever since Hamas began firing Kassam rockets at Jewish towns in the area."
The ICEJ News Service quoted (Israeli) Col. Yoel Strick, commander of the northern Gaza regional brigade, as saying that the situation in Gaza is "complex."
"Both sides are improving," he said. "The enemy is improving its operations; but, on the other hand, we are also learning lessons. In incidents such as this, there have been and will continue to be casualties."
CIVILIANS SUFFERING
However civilians are also suffering, as the closure of Palestinian territories continue, preventing about 20,000 Palestinian workers and merchants from their jobs in Israel, news reports said. Tensions are also rising in what Christians believe is Jesus birthplace.
About 20 Palestinian families living alongside Rachel’s Tomb in Bethlehem said Monday, February 17, they received orders from the IDF to vacate their homes and shops within 20 days to allow construction of a security fence in the area, the ICEJ News Service said.
Last year Prime Minister Ariel Sharon vowed to create a continuous corridor from Jerusalem to Rachel’s Tomb following terror attacks from the Bethlehem area. Several Palestinian Christian families have also expressed concern about some Jewish settlers who they claim are taking away their farm land.
