An Israeli helicopter gunship fired a missile at a house during fighting in the northern Gaza Strip early on Wednesday, killing a Hamas man, medics said.
Palestinian medics said a helicopter fired a missile into a house during the battle, killing Mohammed Marous, 22, a member of Hamas' military wing. Three other men were wounded, two of them critically, they said.
The fighting erupted before dawn as Israeli forces tanks moved deeper into the Palestinian town of Beit Lahiya as part of a two week old military offensive in the Gaza Strip. Later in the day, Israeli soldiers fired on a group of Palestinians in Beit Lahiya, killing two Palestinians and wounding seven others, witnesses and hospital sources said. In the evening, an Israeli missile strike killed a member of Hamas Beit Lahiya. Sources identified the dead man as 24-year-old Hassan Shakfi.
In southern Gaza Strip, a 16-year-old boy was shot dead and his 7-year-old cousin hit in the stomach by Israeli fire near the Rafah refugee camp, hospital sources said.
Meanwhile, the 11-year-old Palestinian girl Ghadir Mikhaimer Wednesday succumbed to serious wounds sustained by Israeli fire at her UNRWA-run school in Khan Younis western refugee camp.
On Tuesday, Israeli soldiers stationed in the "Neveh Dekalim" settlement opened machinegun fire at the school and one of the bullets hit the child in her chest while attending classes.
The 28-year-old Khader Mohammed Al-Taluli also died Wednesday after suffering serious wounds on 10th October 2004 in Jabalya refugee camp. He suffered shrapnel wounds and his condition was described as critical.
In the West Bank, Israeli forces in the city of Hebron arrested Emad Al-Qawasme the alleged commander of the Ezzedeen al Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas Movement.
Israel claims that Qawasme was leading the Qassam Brigades after the assassination of commanders Abdullah Al-Qawasme, Ahmed Badr and Basel Al-Qawasme.
Israeli occupation forces early Wednesday besieged a house of in Hebron and demolished it later. They clashed with Qawasme for a few hours until he ran out of ammunition before capturing him, Hamas sources conveyed. (albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
