 |
 |
 |
|
|
Soldier patrol Karni after the attack. (AP)
|
|
|
|
|
|
| By israelinsider staff January 14, 2005 |
|
| |
 |
| A line of ambulance wait to cross after the attack (AP) |
| |
Palestinian terrorists, exploiting Israeli humanitarian concerns, launched a coordinated attack at a commercial passage point between Israel and Gaza Thursday night.
They stormed the Karni Crossing between Israel and central Gaza late Thursday night, killing six Israeli civilian security guards and wounding five others.
Three names so far have been released: Ivan Shamilov, 53, Herzl Shelomo and Dror Gezari, 30.
At 10:50 pm, the attackers detonated a 150-kilogram (350 pound) bomb concealed in a produce truck to blow out a door between the Israeli and Palestinian sides of the commercial terminal. Two suicide bombers infiltrated the Israeli side and detonated their explosive belts.
Other Palestinian terrorists then opened fire on Israeli personnel at the crossing with mortars and machine guns. They shot at ambulances and rescue crews trying to evacuate the wounded.
This week, Israel had agreed to extend the Karni terminal's opening hours to 2300 hours to accommodate a Palestinian request. The bombers struck five minutes before closing, trapping the Israeli personnel preparing to end shift.
Two of the wounded Israelis are in serious condition, one was moderately wounded and two lightly.
Al Aksa Martyrs Brigades, which operates under Abbas's Fatah group, claimed credit. Three terrorists were killed.
Palestinian gunmen have purposely targeted crossings meant for the Palestinian population such as the attacks at the "Erez" crossing and the workers crossing near the community of Ganey- Tal last week. Furthermore, on December 12, 2004,
Palestinian gunmen detonated a tunnel rigged with explosives under a military post near the Rafah crossing, along the Israeli- Egyptian border, in which five IDF soldiers were killed.
The crossing will remain closed for an indefinite period of time while Israel seeks clarifications from the Palestinian leadership how it plans to improve security on the Palestinian side of the terminal, from which the attack emanated, Israel Radio reported Friday.
Such attacks serve the double purpose of killing Israelis as well as harming the Palestinian population by depriving work and commerce to create greater distress.
"This is a central crossing through which merchandise, medicine and food are brought," Brig. Gen. Abir Kochavi, commander of the Gaza Division, told Israel radio Friday. "For a reason that is not clear to us, [the terrorists] are making every effort to destroy our every attempt to allow the Palestinians, their own people, [to lead] easier lives."
Kochavi said the amount of goods to be allowed through the crossing would be cut drastically immediately following the attack, but that the army would do try to reduce damage to innocent civilians.
|
|
 
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
| |
|
|
