Post by Salem6 on Oct 24, 2003 8:28:07 GMT
Palestinian gunmen have killed three Israeli soldiers - two women and a man - in an attack on a Jewish settlement in the Gaza Strip.
Palestinian militants had sworn revenge for Israeli air strikes
The gunmen infiltrated the heavily guarded Netzarim settlement in the central Gaza Strip and opened fire under cover of darkness.
Several Israelis were injured, including a female soldier who was seriously wounded, Israeli security source said.
One of the infiltrators was later killed and his accomplice is being sought, the officials said.
Palestinian militant groups Islamic Jihad and Hamas made a joint claim of responsibility for the attack.
The killings happened hours after Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian trying to get into another settlement, Elei Sinai in the northern Gaza Strip, the Israeli army said on Friday.
The violence came a day after the Israeli Government invited bidders to build more than 300 new homes in Jewish settlements in the occupied territories in defiance of the peace plan, known as the road map.
The American-backed plan for the Middle East, known as the roadmap, requires Israel to freeze construction of settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
In the Netzarim attack, Israel radio said the gunmen got through the exterior fence and opened fire, but did not enter the settlement itself.
Two wounded Israelis were evacuated by helicopter to Beersheba, it said.
The seafront settlement is located just south of Gaza City.
The attack followed a series of Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip earlier in the week which killed at least 11 Palestinians - militants and civilians - and triggered calls for vengeance.
Late on Thursday, three Israelis - members of a settler family from southern Gaza - were slightly wounded in a Palestinian shooting attack near the Israeli-Gaza crossing point at Kissufim.
Settlers said the attacker was shot and killed.
Palestinian militants had sworn revenge for Israeli air strikes
The gunmen infiltrated the heavily guarded Netzarim settlement in the central Gaza Strip and opened fire under cover of darkness.
Several Israelis were injured, including a female soldier who was seriously wounded, Israeli security source said.
One of the infiltrators was later killed and his accomplice is being sought, the officials said.
Palestinian militant groups Islamic Jihad and Hamas made a joint claim of responsibility for the attack.
The killings happened hours after Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian trying to get into another settlement, Elei Sinai in the northern Gaza Strip, the Israeli army said on Friday.
The violence came a day after the Israeli Government invited bidders to build more than 300 new homes in Jewish settlements in the occupied territories in defiance of the peace plan, known as the road map.
The American-backed plan for the Middle East, known as the roadmap, requires Israel to freeze construction of settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
In the Netzarim attack, Israel radio said the gunmen got through the exterior fence and opened fire, but did not enter the settlement itself.
Two wounded Israelis were evacuated by helicopter to Beersheba, it said.
The seafront settlement is located just south of Gaza City.
The attack followed a series of Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip earlier in the week which killed at least 11 Palestinians - militants and civilians - and triggered calls for vengeance.
Late on Thursday, three Israelis - members of a settler family from southern Gaza - were slightly wounded in a Palestinian shooting attack near the Israeli-Gaza crossing point at Kissufim.
Settlers said the attacker was shot and killed.