Israeli tanks invade southern Gaza Strip, kill 5 Palestinians

20 June 2007

Gaza - Ma'an - Israeli Special Forces invaded the southern Gaza Strip at dawn on Wednesday and killed at least four Palestinians. Two of those assassinated were fighters from Hamas' military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, one was a member of the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC)-affiliated An Nasser Brigades, and the fourth was a member of Islamic Jihad's military wing, the Al-Quds Brigades.

A fifth, as yet unidentified, man was also killed.

Several Palestinian civilians were also injured during the invasion and, according to Israeli sources, one Israeli soldier was also injured when the Israeli forces came under fire.

An activist from the An Nasser Salah Addin Brigades, 19-year-old Suleiman Khashan, was killed while attempting to blockade the invading force.

The Al-Qassam Brigades announced the deaths of Khalid Al-Farra, aged 20, and Ahmad Abadla, who was killed as the Israeli forces invaded the area east of Khan Younis.

A fourth man, Obeid Sha'ath, from the Al-Quds Brigades, and a fifth, as yet unidentified, man were also killed by the Israeli forces during the incursion.

The incursion was launched at 1am when Israeli military tanks penetrated 1km into the strip and ransacked several homes, before the troops arrested a number of citizens.

The Qassam Brigades claimed that they launched six rocket-propelled grenade shells and detonated explosives in an attempt to prevent the entrance of the Israeli tanks into Khan Younis.

The Islamic Jihad-affiliated Al Quds Brigades reported that their fighters ambushed an Israeli undercover unit, east of Al Qarara, in the southern Gaza Strip.

The Al Quds Brigades said that their combatants hurled three anti-personnel explosive devices at the Israeli forces. The brigades added that confrontations erupted between their fighters and Israeli infantry, but only lasted for a few minutes.

The Al Quds Brigades also announced that at 5am they launched two rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) shells towards an Israelis bulldozer, east of Al Qarara, as the Israeli tanks were advancing.

The Qassam Brigades stated that they clashed with an Israeli infantry unit, near the Israeli – Gaza border, east of Khan Younis, at 3.30am. The brigades launched five mortar shells, five RPG shells and a homemade projectile towards the invading Israeli vehicles.

The brigades added that they detonated an explosive device, which they had planted in advance, whilst an Israeli military tank was passing.

The Palestinian military wings said that the invading Israeli forces met fierce resistance as they attacked the Gaza Strip.

Israeli sources also stated on Wednesday that an Israeli soldier was moderately injured in crossfire with Palestinian activists near Kisufim military base, east of the central Gaza Strip.

The sources added that the Israeli force came under fire during an incursion in the area. As a result, one Israeli soldier was injured and was then transferred to Soroka hospital in Beer Sheva city, in the south of Israel.