An IAF helicopter gunship on Wednesday fired a missile at a Hamas terror cell believed responsible for firing mortar shells at Gush Katif settlements from a cemetery in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis. Initial Palestinian reports claim one terrorist was seriously wounded and the other sustained light wounds.
The aerial raid, the first such attack since the begining of the year, came in response to the firing of at least four mortar shells at Gush Katif settlements earlier on Wednesday. Settlers said at least seven mortar shells were fired but the IDF said it was only able to confirm four landings and was still searching for others.
The mortar barrage was apparently a response to the death of a Hamas operative overnight near Rafah. The IDF said that Ahmed Barhoum was apparently killed when a bomb he was carrying exploded prematurely; the amry denied claims he had been killed by IDF gunfire. According to Southern Command officers, PA security officials informed them that Barhoum's body was full of shrapnel apparently caused by the bomb he was carrying. Israel had not responded to a barrage of recent mortar and rocket attacks aimed at the settlements in recent weeks, prompting strong criticism from the residents, who said the government was leaving them defenseless.
The mandate of the IDF Civil Administration is to manage civilian affairs for Palestinians living in Israeli controlled sections of the West Bank and Gaza and so I cannot help but wonder how this will affect the Civil Administration Department decision announced only yesterday that it will defy the Israeli government’s much touted policy of never cooperating with Hamas, and would actively seek new ways of building a working relationship with newly elected Hamas-run municipal council in West Bank town of Kalkilya.
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