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Palestinians salvage belongings in the rubble of destroyed buildings and houses in the Jabaliya refugee camp, northern Gaza Strip, Saturday, Oct. 16, 2004. Israel withdrew tanks and ground forces from populated areas in the northern Gaza Strip on Friday,leaving behind wide areas of destruction in places used to launch rockets against Israel's civilian population. (AP/Kevin Frayer)
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| By Israel Insider staff and partners October 16, 2004 |
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Israeli officials on Saturday said a broad offensive into the northern Gaza Strip struck a heavy blow to Palestinian terrorists who have fired rockets into southern Israel.
But the officials conceded the operation was unlikely to halt the rocket attacks altogether and stressed the army was prepared to move back into the area.
The 17-day campaign, launched after a deadly rocket strike on the Israeli border town of Sderot, ended after nightfall Friday, when Israel withdrew tanks and ground forces from populated areas in northern Gaza.
At least 129 Palestinians, including between about 10 (according to Israel) and 50 (according to the Palestinians) civilians, were killed, making it the deadliest operation in Gaza in four years of fighting. Five Israelis, including two preschoolers killed in the Sderot attack, died during the period, all doing the first two days.
Palestinians awoke to a scene of heavy damage Saturday. Dozens of homes were destroyed, farmland was uprooted and roads and infrastructure were torn up. Residents accused the army of wanton destruction.
A military official said the offensive "managed to dramatically reduce" the ability of terrorists to fire rockets, although the threat of future attacks remains.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the operation had eliminated many terrorist cells, adding that civilian casualties were "regrettable."
In a television interview, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said the military remains committed to battling the rocket threat -- a strong hint that Israel believes more Kassams will be launched.
"We are continuing to fight against the Kassams," he told Channel 2 TV.
Throughout the fighting, Palestinian terrorists managed to fire rockets toward southern Israel, although the frequency and intensity of the attacks decreased.
The Israeli operation focused on the Jabaliya refugee camp and the towns of Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya, the main launching grounds for hundreds of homemade Qassam rockets in the past four years.
While the army said its activities were aimed solely at militants, Palestinian officials accused the military of using excessive force.
"There was the basic issue of vindictiveness and cruelty," said Hanan Ashrawi, a Palestinian legislator. "It's like telling the Palestinians, for every Israeli killed, we'll kill 20, 50, 100, whatever."
Much of the fighting took place in densely populated areas of the refugee camp. Residents accused the army of causing unnecessary damage, saying the narrow alleyways made it impossible to launch rockets.
"There wasn't a single rocket fired from here," said Abdel Hadi Daher, a 52-year-old resident of Jabaliya. "Their real intention was to humiliate us."
The army has accused militants of using civilian areas for cover and said soldiers only destroyed buildings used to stage attacks.
The Palestinian Center for Human Rights in Gaza said at least 80 homes were demolished during the offensive, including 60 in Jebaliya and 20 in Beit Lahiya. The group said dozens of homes, shops and public buildings were damaged.
Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei called the offensive "part of a series of planned Israeli attacks to bring our people to their knees, but this will never happen."
In the eastern part of Jebaliya, at least 45 homes and a partially built mosque were razed. On the ground floor of the mosque, which had been in use for the past five months, carpets and holy books were covered in sand.
Latife Abu Oudeh, 55, was sitting on a pile of rubble as her daughter-in-law carried mattresses, children's clothing, a pink teddy bear, silverware and a bag with cosmetics and perfume from the ruins of their house.
Abu Oudeh's 7-year-old grandson, Ahmed, looked at the teddy bear and said, "It looks very dirty. We need to wash it." He took the toy and ran away.
Abu Oudeh said her four-room house, home to 16 people, was destroyed at the beginning of the offensive. She said the family received no warning and was sleeping when a bulldozer approached before dawn.
Many Palestinians in northern Gaza have criticized the rocket attacks, saying they provoke harsh Israeli reprisals.
However, Abu Oudeh said her heart was now set on revenge. "I am happy rockets were fired, and I want more to be fired," she said bitterly, adding that she was pleased Sderot residents were panicking over the rocket attacks.
Palestinian militants in Jabaliya, a stronghold of the Islamic Hamas group, claimed victory after the Israeli pullback.
Thousands of Hamas supporters gathered outside a mosque in Jabaliya late Saturday, waving green Hamas flags and Palestinian flags and chanting anti-Israel slogans. Pictures of Hamas militants battling Israeli troops were shown on a large screen.
"We taught the Zionist enemy a lesson. We stopped the enemy's plans," said Fathi Hamas, a local Hamas leader.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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