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| By Israel Insider staff July 5, 2007 |
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Eight Hamas gunmen were killed Thursday when the Israel Defense Forces clashed with Hamas operatives in the Gaza Strip. The gunbattle involved IDF tanks and bulldozers, Hamas men laying mines, and an Israel Air Force strike. The IAF had been backing up troops in the area.
According to the IDF, the battle broke out after IAF planes backing up the IDF soldiers detected Hamas militants approaching the soldiers. The militants ignored warning shots, not stopping when asked to, and a fierce battle ensued involving both the IAF and ground troops.
The IDF had been performing a routine patrol of the area, looking for rocket launching sites, approximately half a mile within the Gaza Strip.
According to Hamas officials, the IDF had moved in 15 tanks and three bulldozers, and were leveling Palestinian farm land in the area.
Two IDF soldiers were lightly injured in the battle when an anti-tank missile hit their armored vehicle.
Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida said that the militants discovered an undercover IDF unit and began firing on it.
Hospital officials reported that six gunmen had been killed, and Hamas confirmed that all belonged to its group. According to Hamas TV, Mohammed Siam, the field commander for Hamas in central Gaza, was among those killed in the morning's battle.
A Palestinian ambulance worker, Azmi Abu Dalal, charged that the IDF took him and his colleagues, who were at the time attempting to evacuate a wounded Palestinian, to a house in the area, and used them as human shields.
The use of human shields by the IDF is forbidden under Israeli law. A spokeswoman from the IDF said she was looking into the accusations.
Two Hamas gunmen were later killed in an IAF strike of militant targets in the area.
In IDF action in the West Bank, the IDF arrested six fugitives near Hebron. The IDF also arrested four Hamas militants and three Islamic Jihad operatives in the West Bank area. |
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