 |
 |
 |
|
|
A lone soldier (AP / Tsafrir Abayov)
|
|
|
|
|
|
| By israelinsider staff October 21, 2004 |
|
| |
An Israel Defense Forces soldier in the Engineering Corps, Sgt.-Maj. Moshe Elmaliah, 34, from Dimona, was killed Thursday afternoon when an explosive device was detonated next to IDF troops on the Philadelphi Route in the southern Gaza Strip.
The explosive device was planted near a tunnel next to an iron wall. According to Channel Two, the Egyptians told the Israelis that the tunnel was "old" and should be disregarded. However, a large explosive device, estimated to contain 100 kilos, was detonated as an engineering corps patrol went by, killing the soldier, who was driving the vehicle.
The troops were hunting arms-smuggling tunnels at the time.
In a leaflet that was distributed, Hamas claimed credit for the blast, saying militants attacked soldiers and civilian contractors in the area.
"Palestinian terrorists are continuing their efforts of perpetrating attacks, because they think that by doing so they will be able to foil Israel's redeployment in the Gaza Strip," David Baker, an official in the Prime Minister's Office, said in reaction to the attack.
|
|
 
|
|
|
|
Click on the blue headline to read a Talkback comment and respond to it. Click on the  icon to send a private email to the talkback writer. The icon appears only if the writer has decided to be contacted. If no popup window appears, please make sure your popup blocker allows israelinsider.com.
|
|
| |
|
|
