Israeli fire 'kills Gaza militant'
Israeli tank accused of firing on group in the Gaza Strip and killing one man
An Israeli soldier walks out from a
tunnel during a tour of the tunnel that the Israeli army reportedly
discovered and seized near Kissufum, southern Israel, along the border
with the Gaza Strip. Photo: EPA
An Israeli tank shell has killed a member of the military wing of Gaza's
ruling Hamas and wounded another, according to Palestinian medical and
security officials.
They said that Israeli aircraft also attacked an unknown target east of Gaza
City, but there was no report of casualties.
The strike came after Hamas TV in Gaza said that three mortar shells were
fired from the strip into southern Israel. It did not say who was
responsible.
The Israeli army did not immediately confirm the air strike or any mortar
attack.
The Palestinian officials named the dead man as Rabieh Barikeh and said that
he and others were carrying out surveillance on Israeli movements at the
Gaza border when they came under fire, east of Khan Younis in the southern
Gaza Strip.
The security officials and eyewitnesses said that an Israeli tank and armoured
bulldozer came about 100 metres (yards) inside the strip.
Witnesses said that a mine exploded under the tank.
An Israeli military spokeswoman would not comment on the fighting other than to tell AFP that "a pinpoint and defensive activity against the terror tunnel is currently taking place."
She was referring to a tunnel from the Gaza Strip into Israel uncovered by Israeli security forces last month and allegedly intended as a springboard for attacks.
Hamas's Izzadine al-Qassam military wing said at the time that it dug the tunnel as part of a plan to kidnap Israeli soldiers and hold them in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.
"We are working on the ground and under the ground to release the prisoners (held by Israel)," the group's spokesman Abu Obeida said on October 20.
On Monday Israeli warplanes raided the northern Gaza Strip after militants fired across the border.
It was the first Israeli air strike on Gaza in more than two months and came shortly after two rockets were fired at southern Israel.