Senior Israeli officials said this week that the IDF could
not stop operating in Gaza, although it will not take control
and reoccupy the area. Defense Minister Amir Peretz said
Tuesday that such operations are necessary to stop terror
organizations from further arming themselves and to keep them
from attacking Israeli citizens. IDF Chief of Staff Dan
Halutz said on Tuesday that Palestinian terror groups have
been digging hundreds of tunnels for arms smuggling under the
Gaza Strip border with Egypt. IDF troops have in recent days
pinpointed at least 100 1.5 km long tunnel entrances, and
they are sure that there are hundreds more.
Also, a tunnel was recently discovered under the Karni
commercial crossing. This is the main point of entry for all
supplies and for exit for all commercial exports. Its
operation is important for all Palestinian commercial
activities in Gaza, and also for the import of basic
necessities. Following discovery of the tunnel, which was
presumably dug to attack Karni, the crossing was shut down by
the IDF. "This proves that the terrorist organizations are
trying to cause a humanitarian crisis and increase
[Palestinian] suffering, because they believe it benefits
them," said Defense Minister Peretz.
Halutz added that Palestinians have been continuously
smuggling antitank missiles and large amounts of light
weaponry in recent months.
Politicians, military leaders and intelligence experts have
been warning that the Palestinians are trying to apply the
Hizbullah model in Lebanon to Gaza, by heavily arming
themselves and preparing to attack southern Israel and to dig
in to resist Israeli incursions aimed to stop them.
In light of this, Peretz said, "We will not allow the Gaza
Strip to turn into southern Lebanon and we will take action
to prevent the strengthening of the terrorist organizations."
Peretz added that he hoped that Egypt would prevent weapons
smuggling. However beyond the stern talk, it was not clear
what Peretz was prepared to do beyond what has been done so
far.
The IDF completed a week-long operation along the Philadelphi
Route, as the border between Gaza and Egypt is known. Troops
uncovered at least 15 weapons smuggling tunnels there last
week.
Halutz told the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense
Committee that he believed the IDF must stay in the
Philadelphi Corridor. But he stressed that "no decision has
been made" and that the army is examining various options.
A recent IDF intelligence report warned that the pace of
smuggling by armed groups in Gaza, as well as the quality of
weapons being imported, was increasing.
Elsewhere in Gaza, Givati Brigade commandos killed seven
Palestinian gunmen in the northern Gaza Strip on Monday,
including Ata Shimbari, a senior Popular Resistance
Committees commander who headed the group's rocket-launching
unit. The gunmen and others had fired rockets at Sderot on
Monday evening from Beit Hanoun in southern Gaza. At least 30
other Palestinians were wounded in the firefight.
The day was one of the special days in the special Moslem
month of Ramadan. Palestinian officials expressed outrage
that Israel had killed gunmen during the Moslem month of
Ramadan, though they said nothing about the terrorists firing
rockets at Israel at the same time.
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas condemned the
IDF's expanded operations in Gaza, saying Israel deliberately
carried out the operation — which he called a "heinous
massacre" — during the Id al-Fitr holiday. He called on
the international community to intervene. He did not condemn
or even mention the Palestinian rocket fire at Sderot and
other southern Israel communities, though it was going on at
the same time.
Despite the army's efforts, three more rockets were launched
from Gaza. Two of them landed in Sderot, damaging two
vehicles and causing a number of residents to go into
shock.
Palestinians said IDF soldiers took over structures on the
outskirts of Beit Hanoun early Sunday morning, an area often
used to fire Kassam rockets at Israeli targets. Israel has
noted that the rockets are usually launched when children are
going to school or coming back home.
The IDF said that troops from the Givati Brigade's
Reconnaissance Battalion were trying to stop terrorist cells
from firing rockets into the Western Negev when they spotted
armed men approaching their position. The troops opened fire
hitting 10 men — all of them armed — in a fierce
firefight that lasted several minutes. No soldiers were
wounded.
Six of the seven dead gunmen were members of the Shimbari
family, including Ata Shimbari, his brother and two of their
cousins.
As usual, the PRC vowed revenge. It is not clear what such
posturing is meant to accomplish.
In the West Bank, soldiers shot and killed Mohammed
Abdufatah, 23, during an arrest raid in Tamun, near Jenin,
overnight Sunday. Fifteen Palestinians were wounded in an
operation that targeted a senior Islamic Jihad operative.
