Post by Salem6 on Oct 20, 2003 10:23:39 GMT
Two people have been killed and several injured in Israeli missile strikes in Gaza City, witnesses say.
A helicopter raid targeting a vehicle left two men said to be local militant activists dead.
The first Israeli target was said to be a Hamas weapons factory
Less than three hours earlier, a missile fired by a fighter plane hit a building in the city believed to be a weapons workshop for the radical Hamas group, injuring at least six people.
The Israeli army dismissed suggestions that the target was the nearby home of a senior Islamic Jihad leader, Abdullah Shami.
The military action comes a day after three Israeli soldiers were killed in an ambush near the West Bank town of Ramallah - an attack claimed by the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade.
Smoke
Two missiles were fired on the white Peugeot truck as it was travelling through the centre of Gaza on Monday morning.
The BBC's James Rodgers in Gaza City said the attack happened close to the BBC offices and staff were able to see smoke rising from the vehicle.
Two bodies were seen being removed from the wrecked truck, and Hamas sources were later quoted as saying the dead were members of the Hamas military wing.
Bus driver Ahmed Sobeh said he was driving behind the pickup at the time. "Suddenly, a big flame came from the sky and hit the car in front of me," he said.
"School children were trying to cross the road (at the time) ... I saw a person in the car being evacuated and his body was completely burned.
"I also saw a teenager on the side of the street covered with blood but he was alive."
Condemned
At 0800 local time (0600 GMT), Israeli F-16 fighter planes were heard in the skies over Gaza city and a loud explosion came soon after.
A two-storey building - said to belong to a family with close links to Hamas - was destroyed.
It was initially thought the missile had been meant for the home of Abdullah Shami, a spokesman for Islamic Jihad, who was not there at the time.
Palestinian rescue workers said at least six people - including two children - were injured.
The Palestinian Authority condemned the raids saying that it would only serve to perpetuate the cycle of violence.
Our correspondent says it would appear to be another attempt by Israel to strike at those it believes are planning attacks on Israeli targets.
The leaders of all the main Palestinian militant groups have been in hiding since the attempts by Israel on their lives.
A helicopter raid targeting a vehicle left two men said to be local militant activists dead.
The first Israeli target was said to be a Hamas weapons factory
Less than three hours earlier, a missile fired by a fighter plane hit a building in the city believed to be a weapons workshop for the radical Hamas group, injuring at least six people.
The Israeli army dismissed suggestions that the target was the nearby home of a senior Islamic Jihad leader, Abdullah Shami.
The military action comes a day after three Israeli soldiers were killed in an ambush near the West Bank town of Ramallah - an attack claimed by the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade.
Smoke
Two missiles were fired on the white Peugeot truck as it was travelling through the centre of Gaza on Monday morning.
The BBC's James Rodgers in Gaza City said the attack happened close to the BBC offices and staff were able to see smoke rising from the vehicle.
Two bodies were seen being removed from the wrecked truck, and Hamas sources were later quoted as saying the dead were members of the Hamas military wing.
Bus driver Ahmed Sobeh said he was driving behind the pickup at the time. "Suddenly, a big flame came from the sky and hit the car in front of me," he said.
"School children were trying to cross the road (at the time) ... I saw a person in the car being evacuated and his body was completely burned.
"I also saw a teenager on the side of the street covered with blood but he was alive."
Condemned
At 0800 local time (0600 GMT), Israeli F-16 fighter planes were heard in the skies over Gaza city and a loud explosion came soon after.
A two-storey building - said to belong to a family with close links to Hamas - was destroyed.
It was initially thought the missile had been meant for the home of Abdullah Shami, a spokesman for Islamic Jihad, who was not there at the time.
Palestinian rescue workers said at least six people - including two children - were injured.
The Palestinian Authority condemned the raids saying that it would only serve to perpetuate the cycle of violence.
Our correspondent says it would appear to be another attempt by Israel to strike at those it believes are planning attacks on Israeli targets.
The leaders of all the main Palestinian militant groups have been in hiding since the attempts by Israel on their lives.