A training camp of the Hamas armed wing located in Gaza City
was attacked by IDF helicopters and warplanes, as well as
tanks, killing 14 Hamas fighters. About 30 people were also
wounded. Most were also Hamas members, though Palestinians
said that some bystanders were also wounded. According to
international law and treaties it is a crime to locate a
military training camp in such an area. The strong attack we
seen as a response the double bombing in Beer Sheva a week
previously that murdered 16 and wounded close to 100. Hamas
claimed that it carried out the attack in Beer Sheva.
Israeli leaders had pledged harsh reprisals, including the
resumption of a campaign to assassinate Hamas leaders, in
response to the Beer Sheva bombings. Those attacks were the
first in Israel in nearly six months.
In a statement, the IDF said that the IAF targeted a training
field during active training of Hamas terrorists. The
location was known as a place where Hamas terrorists are
trained to plant and activate of explosive devices, to launch
RPG and Qassam rockets and to infiltrate into Israeli
communities and military posts.
According to the IDF, two weeks ago a unique and powerful
explosive device was assembled at the field. The bomb was
intended to be activated against an Israeli target. Due to
what seems to have been a technical problem, the explosive
device exploded at the training field, killing a well-known
Hamas terrorist and wounding others. The large explosion was
very noticeable and Palestinian spokesmen blamed it on IDF
helicopters.
The IDF said that training for different scenarios, including
taking control of a car, were carried out there recently, as
a part of the preparation to kidnap Israeli civilians and
soldiers.
On Monday, Israeli defense minister Shaul Mofaz, said Hamas
leaders had apparently left their base in Damascus, Syria, in
response Israeli threats to mark them for assassination in
retaliation for the Beer Sheva bombings. "We will chase them
down everywhere," he said.
A Hamas spokesman in Gaza dismissed Mr. Mofaz's remarks as
"Israeli propaganda" but declined to comment on the
whereabouts of the Damascus-based Hamas leaders except to say
they visited other Arab countries from time to time.
Early Tuesday, Palestinian gunners fired Qassam rockets and
mortar shells at Gaza Strip settlements and the Western Negev
town of Sderot.
Dozens of members of the Hamas military wing, Iz a-Din al-
Qassam, were meeting at the building during the time of the
attack, Palestinian sources said. The building, which
includes offices, is named after Hamas founder Sheik Ahmed
Yassin, who was assassinated by Israel last April.
23 wanted Palestinians were arrested in overnight operations
by the security forces. Others were arrested during the day,
including at least eight identified with Hamas in the Chevron
area.
