As part of its offensive against Hamas, Israeli soldiers
arrested Sheikh Muhammad Taha, 65, one of the co-founders of
Hamas, as well as three of his sons, all of whom were deeply
involved in terror activities. Three other Hamas terror
criminals were detained at the same time, including one who
was arrested while preparing a bomb. Israeli troops
encountered heavy fire in the operation, including seven
bombs that were set off.
According to unconfirmed reports from Palestinian sources,
eight Palestinians were killed and 38 wounded in the
operation and one of those killed was a 13-year-old boy. They
did not say if he was armed. A woman who was pregnant was
said to have been killed when her house collapsed after her
neighbor's home was demolished.
IDF officials said all the necessary precautions were taken
to prevent civilians from being harmed, and that while they
were unaware of the incident, the army would investigate.
The US criticized the incursion in Gaza. State Department
spokesman Richard Boucher told a daily briefing, "We are also
deeply concerned about the increasing Israeli use . . . of
demolition and the civilian deaths that have resulted from
this practice." But Boucher said the United States
"understands the need for Israel to defend itself against
ongoing violence and terror."
Security forces also arrested 26 Palestinians in Yehuda and
Shomron in the past 24 hours, mainly in Nablus, Ramallah, and
in the village of Tabuah west of Hebron.
The operation in Gaza, as several in the past two weeks, was
aimed at destroying the Hamas infrastructure, arresting
fugitives, and demolishing the homes of terrorists. Defense
Minister Shaul Mofaz has said that the IDF will step up its
operations against Hamas, turning the terrorists into hunted
men forced to concentrate on defending themselves instead of
planning attacks.
Hours after Israeli troops pulled out, at least two Kassam
rockets were fired at Sderot. They caused no physical
injuries, but some people who were near them when they landed
suffered from shock. Hamas claimed that it launched five
rockets, but the IDF found no evidence of more than two.
OC Gaza Brig.-Gen. Gadi Shamni said the rockets were fired
from the Beit Hanoun-Jabalya area. "The PA is doing nothing
to prevent the firing of rockets, and that is the reason the
army is forced to move against the threat,"he said.
Two soldiers were lightly wounded during the operation
against the Taha family. The Taha clan is responsible for
"bomb attacks, Kassam attacks, planning and dispatching
terrorists, and incitement," Shamni said.
The participating Givati Brigade troops, accompanied by
combat engineers, armored units, and helicopters, were
confronted with fierce opposition, as gunmen fired automatic
weapons and RPGs and hurled grenades at the troops and
detonated seven bombs, one containing 100 kilograms of
explosives. Some of the most intense fire came as they
prepared to arrest members of the Taha family and blow up
their home.
The father was one of the founders of Hamas. Although he is
considered part of its political leadership, he has been
deeply involved in criminal activities. (Osama bin Laden is
the political leader of Al Qaeda.)
The three sons arrested were all seasoned criminal
terrorists. One was involved in smuggling weapons and was
also in charge of the military training of cell members in
Deir al-Balah. In 1993 a number of bombs were found in his
home. Another commanded a terror cell which launched a number
of bomb attacks against soldiers. The third was involved in
many Hamas military operations.
Taha is one of the highest ranking Hamas political figures to
be targeted. In response, there were reports that other Hamas
political leaders shut off their phones and began moving from
place to place.
Yoni Fighel of the International Policy Institute for
Counterterrorism said that Israel had practiced a policy of
ignoring Hamas, mistakenly hoping that Islamic fundamentalism
would act to balance the power of Fatah.
The IDF has steered clear of the political echelon in Gaza.
Political/spiritual leaders, such as Sheik Ahmed Yassin,
Abdul Aziz Rantisi, Sheikh Ismail Abu Shanab, and Dr. Mahmud
al-Zahar, have been given relatively free rein and all of
them continue to speak freely to the press.
A Palestinian Authority spokesman said that there was nothing
new in the arrest of Taha because many high-ranking PA
officials have already been arrested. Most prominent of these
is Marwan Barghouti, a member of the Palestinian Legislative
Council and a political leader of the highest rank when he
was arrested in April 2002. He is accused and now standing
trial in Tel Aviv District Court on dozens of counts of
murder, attempted murder, terrorism, and conspiracy to commit
terror.
Israeli strategists have said for months that there was a
need to target Hamas, which had been left largely untouched
after more than two years of conflict.
