Editorial Note: The following news reports are summaries from original sources. They may also include corrections of Arabic names and political terminology. Comments are in parentheses.

 

7 Egyptian Policemen, 7 Palestinians Killed, Including 2 Children, Dozens Injured in Israeli Air Strikes on Gaza Strip

August 19, 2011

Special source: Seven Egyptian officers killed by Israeli airstrike near Rafah

[ 19/08/2011 - 11:39 AM ]

CAIRO, (PIC)--

A special source informed PIC correspondent in Cairo that the number of Egyptian army officers killed by an Israeli airstrike near Rafah has risen to seven, in addition to a number of wounded.

The source that asked not to be identified said that amongst the officers killed are two Brigadiers, which prompted a prominent military official to head a special force to Sinai.

PIC correspondent also said that the revolution youth were preparing for demonstrations on Friday outside the Israeli embassy in Cairo to protest the killing of the Egyptian officers.

A leader of the revolution youth said that a march will head from Tahrir Square after Friday prayers to the Israeli embassy to protest the killing of Egyptian officers and soldiers.

Official Egyptian sources said earlier that three Egyptian soldiers were killed on Thursday evening when and Israeli aircraft fired a rocket near the Egyptian-Palestinian border close to Rafah.

Ongoing Escalation Against Gaza, 7 Killed, Dozens Injured

Friday August 19, 2011 10:28 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

As the Israeli occupation army continued its offensive against several parts of the Gaza Strip, the number of casualties arrived to seven, including two children, while dozens of civilians were injured. The Israeli occupation army targeted several homes, security and training centers, and border tunnels. Palestinian Fighters Fired missiles and shells into Israeli areas in the Negev, several injuries were reported.

The Israeli occupation Army bombarded a site for the Al-Qassam Brigades of Hamas in Beit Lahia, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, and also bombarded the Al-Safeena Palestinian Security base and a number of homes.

Medical sources reported that Mahmoud Abu Samra, 13, was killed and 17 members of his family, including women and children, were injured after the army bombarded their home in Al-Sudaniyya area in Gaza City. Excessive damage to nearby homes was also reported.

Shortly after midnight, the Israeli Air Force bombarded a home near a former security center in Beit Lahia leading to excessive damage.

Minutes later, the Israeli occupation army fired at least three missiles at the Ansar Center that belongs to the Hamas-led government in Gaza, leading to excessive damage to the center and nearby structures. Three residents, including a medic, were injured.

In Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, the Israeli occupation Air Force fired at least one missile into Abasan village, east of the Khan Younis refugee camp. Another missile landed and detonated in an open area close to a local mosque. One missile was also fired into another training center that belongs to the Al-Qassam brigades, west of Khan Younis.

Two more air strikes targeted Khuza’a town, east of Khan Younis, and Al Amal neighbored west of the city, leading to excessive damage and anxiety attacks amongst the children.

Furthermore, the Israeli occupation Air Force carried out two air strikes apparently targeting border tunnels in Rafah, in southern Gaza; excessive damage was reported.

On Thursday evening, six Palestinians, including a child, were killed in Al-Shu'out area in Rafah, in southern Gaza. They slain residents were identified as Kamal Al-Nairab, Imad Hamed, Khalid Sha'ath, Imad Nassr, Khalid Al-Masry, and Malak Khalid Sha'ath (2 years old). Kamal Al-Nairab, head of the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) in Gaza.

Israel believes that Imad Hammad is in charge of the military activities of the PRC in Gaza, and that Khalid Sha'ath was involved in the capturing of Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, in 2006. The Israeli Shin Bet security service also suspects that Hamed was behind the planning of the Thursday attack in Eilat.

Other air strikes targeted an area close to Um Al-Nasr Bedouin village, in Beit Hanoun, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.

Local sources reported that Israel war jets can be still seen hovering over several parts of the Gaza Strip leading to fears of a further Israeli military escalation.

On Friday morning, Palestinian fighters fired a Grad Missile into Be-er Al-Saba'a (called Beer Sheva by Israelis), and also fired several shells towards Isdood (called Ashdod by Israelis),  and Asqalan (called Ashkelon by Israelis) and several others areas leading to six injuries, one seriously, the Israeli Radio reported.

Two missiles were also fired into Sdot Negev Regional Council and Shear Hanegev area leading to no damages or injuries, according to the Israeli Radio.

Four Grad missiles were fired on Thursday at night into Ashkelon and were reportedly intercepted by the Iron Dome system. Israel also deployed new Iron Dome interception systems in Be’er Sheva.

Israel daily, Haaretz, reported that at least 10 Grad rockets and Qassam shells were fired from the Gaza Strip on Friday, one day after the attack that targeted a military bus near Eilat, killing nine Israelis.

Haaretz said that the rockets were fired on Friday morning into Asqalan, Kiryat Gat and Be-er Al-Saba'a leading to seven injuries. It added that most of the rockets landed in open areas, yet, one missile struck a building in Isdood Industrial Park, inflicting six injuries, one seriously.

Army Bombards Rafah Killing Six Palestinians; Child Killed In Gaza City

Saed Bannora & George Rishmawi, Thu, 18 Aug 2011 20:51:29

Palestinian medical sources in the Gaza Strip reported on Thursday evening that six Palestinians, including a senior resistance leader, and a child, were killed when the Israeli Air Force fired missiles into a home in Rafah, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. A Child was also killed and five residents were injured when the army bombarded Gaza City.

The sources stated that the Israeli Air Force fired a missile at the house of one of the leaders of the Popular Resistance Committees in Al Sho’outh neighborhood in Rafah, killing six Palestinians.

Three of them are leaders of the Popular Resistance committees, while one of the three was identified as Awad An-Nairab, the Secretary-General of the Committees. Adham Abu Salmiyya, spokesperson of the Emergency and Medical Services in Gaza, reported that the bodies of four of the slain residents were severely mutilated due to the blast, and that one of them is 2-year-old child.

Besides An-Nairab, the slain residents were identified as Imad Hammad, leader of the Salah Ed-Deen Brigades, Khaled Shaath, and his son Malak, 2 years old, Imad Nassr, and Khaled Al Masry.

In another Israeli military escalation, a 13-year-old child was killed, and 18 other civilians were injured when the army bombarded several areas in northern Gaza and in Gaza City.

The child was identified as Mahmoud Abu Samra. Children and women were among the wounded; they were all moved to the Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza.

The large number of casualties came due to Israeli army bombardment of a home in northern Gaza and a home west Gaza City.

Local sources reported that the Israeli occupation army and air force bombarded several targets in the northern and southern parts of the Gaza Strip, including a training site for the Al Qassam Brigades of Hamas west of Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.

Two more areas were bombarded east of Khan Younis, in addition to a target in Beit Lahia, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, leading to explosions in Gaza pipelines and destruction to several structures.

On Thursday, Israeli Defense Minister, Ehud Barak, vowed to strike Gaza following attacks that targeted Eilat Coastal city, leading to the death of eight Israelis and the injury of more than twenty, five seriously. Barak said that the attackers came from the Gaza Strip.

Israeli Daily, Haaretz, reported that 15-20 fighters from Gaza managed to cross the border carrying rifles, grenades and explosives.

Haaretz added that the fighters killed eight Israelis and wounded more than 30 others in the attack.

It stated that this attack was planned by the Popular Resistance Committee in the Gaza Strip, and that the fighters managed to infiltrate from the Gaza Strip into the Sinai desert through tunnels, and then travelled nearly 200 kilometers to an area that is only protected with tattered wire fence, 15 kilometers north of Eilat. They then opened fire at a bus carrying Israeli soldiers north of Netafim Crossing.

Haaretz further stated that the soldiers managed to kill five of the fighters while the Egyptian Security Forces killed two of them. Israel believes that at least 15-20 fighters participated in the attack, and that most of them managed to escape.

The army believes that the fighters intended to kidnap an Israeli soldier, and that, due to previous warnings, troops increased their presence in the area.

Israeli Air Strike Kills Six Palestinians In Gaza

George Rishmawi, IMEMC & Agencies, Thu, 18 Aug 2011 20:51:29

Israeli air force bombarded the Gaza Strip killing at least six Palestinians and wounding some others, Thursday evening.

Palestinian medical sources said six were killed, three of which were leaders of the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) in Al-Shu'outh area in Rafah in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.

The shelling comes hours after a deadly attack that targeted two Israeli buses and two other vehicles in southern Israel killing seven Israelis and wounding around 31 others, one in critical condition.

The Palestine Information Center said the airstrike targeted the house of Abu Awad Al-Nairab, Secretary General of the PRC. He and Imad Hammad leader of Salah Eddin Brigade the armed wing of the Popular Resistance Committees and a third leader of PRC were killed in the strike.

Abu Mjuahid, spokesperson of Salahuddin Brigade, the armed wing of the PRC said that Israel opened the door for retaliation by bombarding Rafah.

Israel strikes central Gaza refugee camp

Published today (updated) 19/08/2011 14:14

GAZA CITY (Ma'an) --

Israeli occupation government warplanes struck Al-Nusairat refugee camp in central Gaza on Friday morning in an ongoing assault which has killed at least seven Palestinians in the coastal enclave since Thursday.

One Palestinian was lightly injured as Israeli fighter jets bombed a generator near the camp, causing a power outage across the area, said Gaza medical official Adham Abu Salmiya.

Missiles also hit a training camp of the armed wing of Hamas, the Al-Qassam Brigades, witnesses said.

The raid came hours after the Israeli occupation government airplanes launched airstrikes on Al-Zaitoun neighborhood south of Gaza City causing damage but no injuries, medics said.

Just after midnight Friday, Israeli warplanes launched a series of raids targeting Gaza City, the northern towns of Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya, and Khan Younis in the south.

Gaza medical official Adham Abu Salmiya said an airstrike on a home near the former intelligence services headquarters in Gaza City killed 13-year-old Mahmoud Abu Samra and injured 18 others.

Elsewhere, Apache helicopters fired at least two missiles toward a Palestinian military site in the town of Beit Lahiya and a missile near Khan Younis landed in an open area and caused no injuries or damage.

The overnight strikes followed a day of violence in which gunmen unleashed bloody mayhem on on a desert road near the Red Sea resort town of Eilat.

Six Israeli civilians, a soldier and a police officer were killed in several hours of attacks on a desert road some 20 kilometers north of Eilat.

Israel officials were quick to point the finger at Gaza, although the territory's Hamas rulers denied any connection to the attacks.

Israeli warplanes responded to the attacks in Eilat immediately, attacking targets in southern Gaza which killed six people, including a two-year-old toddler and alleged five members from the Popular Resistance Committees -- the group it said was behind the violence.

The PRC vowed bitter revenge for the attack, which killed its leader and three other top cadres, and on Friday claimed responsibility for firing at least seven rockets and mortars into Israel.

Both sides were burying their dead on Friday, with funerals in Jerusalem for the soldier and the police officer, and a burial procession due to take place in southern Gaza for the five militants and the toddler.

As Israeli police went on high alert across Israel, the country's main newspapers painted a much clearer picture of how events unfolded on Thursday involving an estimated 15 to 20 gunmen, some wearing Egyptian army fatigues.

The first attack saw three gunmen open fire on a packed bus heading to Eilat, injuring seven people. Shortly afterwards, they opened fire on a civilian car in the same area, killing four people.

Then one of the militants detonated an explosives-packed belt he was wearing as an empty bus drove past, blowing himself up and killing the driver. Further gunfire was directed at another car, killing one man.

The soldier and the police officer were killed in two separate gunbattles with the attackers which lasted into the evening, the papers said.

Six of the attackers were killed by Israeli troops and special police forces, while the seventh blew himself up; others are believed to have fled across the Egyptian border.

In Egypt, state television said two "unidentified Egyptians" had been killed by Israeli gunfire on Thursday in an area near the site of the attacks; overnight security officials said three Egyptian policemen were also killed in the same area when an Israeli Apache fired a rocket at militants.

Egypt's state television on Thursday showed footage of rifles, grenades and army uniforms seized during an ongoing security operation in northern Sinai, while in a separate development, security officials said they had uncovered a workshop capable of producing suicide belts.

FP contributed to this report.

Egypt: Israeli rocket kills 3 policemen

Ma'an, 19/08/2011 09:39 EILAT, Israel (AFP) --

Three Egyptian policemen have been killed after an Israeli plane fired a rocket near the border at militants it was tracking following earlier attacks, security officials said Thursday.

Egypt's official MENA news agency quoted a military official as saying that two policemen were killed when the Israeli aircraft opened fire near the Rafah border town with the Palestinian Gaza Strip.

Security officials said the incident took place south of Rafah, along the border with Israel.

They identified the Israeli aircraft as an Apache gunship that had been tracking the militants who attacked two buses, a civilian car and a military jeep in the coastal city of Eilat hours earlier.

Gaza rockets hit Israel after night of airstrikes

Ma'an, 19/08/2011 12:23

GAZA CITY (AFP) --

Palestinian resistance fighters in Gaza Strip, on Friday, fired 12 rockets into Israeli targets, seriously injuring one person after a night of Israeli air strikes which killed seven people, including a teenager, and hurt 17 other people.

Most of them caused no injuries or damage but two struck the southern coastal town of Isdood (changed by Israelis to Ashdod) on Friday morning, damaging a school and a synagogue and seriously wounding one person, Israeli police and the military said.

The uptick in rocket attacks came as Israeli fighter jets staged seven overnight air strikes on targets across Gaza which killed a teenager and injured 17 people, Palestinian medics said.

The Israeli strikes were launched just hours after a series of deadly attacks near the Red Sea resort town of Eilat, which killed eight Israelis in an operation Israel blamed on the Gaza-based Popular Resistance Committees.

Shortly after the attacks on a desert road, Israel attacked targets in southern Gaza, killing six -- including four top PRC members and a two-year-old boy.

The group vowed bitter revenge and on Friday claimed responsibility for firing two Grad rockets toward the port city of Asqalan (changed by Israelis to Ashkelon) and seven mortars at an army post near the southernmost point of the Israel-Gaza border, close to Egypt.

On Friday, the military wing of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine also vowed that Israel's attacks would not pass without "punishment and revenge."

The Abu Ali Mustapha brigades called for unity and resolve in the face of the attacks in a statement received by Ma'an.

Overnight, the Israeli air force staged seven raids, hitting two training camps for the armed wing of Hamas, the Al-Qassam Brigades, as well as Palestinian security posts, medics said.

Egypt's official MENA news agency reported, meanwhile, that two Egyptian policemen were killed on Thursday when an Israeli plane fired a rocket near the border at militants it was tracking after the deadly desert attacks.

The incident took place near the Rafah border crossing with Gaza, the agency quoted a military official as saying.

"An Israeli plane was pursuing infiltrators on the other side of the border until they reached Rafah and fired at them. There were several Central Security members there and they were hit by the gunfire," the official told MENA.

State television reported that the two police conscripts were killed southwards from Rafah near Taba, roughly 12 kilometers from the Israeli town of Eilat close to the site of the attacks.

The Israeli military has not immediately commented on the reports.

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