Israel reoccupies parts of Gaza Strip
Tuesday, April 17, 2001 09:40 AM EDT
GAZA, Apr 17, 2001 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- At least four
Palestinians were killed and dozens of others injured as the Israeli army
reoccupied parts of the northern Gaza Strip on Tuesday after destroying
Palestinian Authority bases and police posts with rockets from helicopters and
razing buildings with bulldozers.
Palestinian medical and security sources said that one Palestinians was killed
and about 37 others were injured during the attacks in the Gaza Strip and
northern West Bank. Three other deaths and several other injures were reported
after attacks on Israeli soldiers.
Palestinian sources said Israeli helicopters attacked various Gaza Strip
locations through the night Monday, firing rockets at more than 16 buildings
used by Palestinian civil police, Force 17, preventive security and the Fatah
movement.
The Israeli army said the sites it attacked included an armored vehicle and a
sentry post at a Force 17 training base at Dir Al-Balah, headquarters of the
Tanzim commander at Dir Al-Balah, headquarters of the Preventive Security
Department at Sheikh Raduan in Gaza City and a police station in Gaza.
The Israelis said they destroyed Palestinian positions south of the Eraz
crossing and deployed the military along the route from the Gaza Strip border to
the settlement of Netsarim, south of Gaza, and at several points at Gush Katif.
Those troops were stationed to prevent movement between sections of the Gaza
Strip. They also took positions at Beit Hanun in the northern Gaza Strip from
which mortars were fired at Sderot.
"The IDF does not intend to occupy 'A' areas. The forces will leave the area
when their mission is completed," the army release said. "A" areas refer to the
fully autonomous PA area.
Three Palestinians were killed in confrontations with Israeli solders. A
19-year-old man was shot late Monday after he allegedly attacked a solider with
a knife. A 20-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy died in Gaza Strip clashes with
the Israeli army, which was the target of dozens of stone-throwing Palestinians.
The Israeli reoccupation was in retaliation to Monday's mortar attack near the
Israeli town of Sderot. Hamas, a Palestinian militant group, claimed
responsibility for the attacks, which caused no injuries or damage. The shells
landed about 3 miles over the border of Palestinians-controlled area, the first
attack by Palestinian-aligned forces inside Israel since the intifada began in
September.
The mortar attacks were also retaliatory, Hamas said. It said it was reacting to
Israeli air strikes on a Syrian radar post in southern Lebanon early Monday.
Chief of PA national public security Abdel Razaq Al Majayda said, "The
Palestinians would never surrender or kneel to the Israeli barbarian escalation
that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is practicing against our people."
"Reoccupying parts of the Gaza Strip is very dangerous and a violation of all
the signed peace agreements signed with Israel since 1993," said Palestinian
Authority Planning Minister Nabil Shaath.
Israeli army officials threatened the Palestinian Authority that it would
continue to occupy areas under PA control as long as Palestinians fire mortars
into Israel.
By SAUD ABU RAMADAN
Copyright 2001 by United Press International.
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