Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., February 22, 2008 Adar1 16, 5768 | | Israel Time: 20:43 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Spanish aid worker Roberto Vila, in Jordan in 2004. (AP) Last update - 00:12 31/10/2006 Aid worker freed by gunmen in Gaza; PA: Man killed in IDF blast By News Agencies A Spanish aid worker was freed unharmed by his captors in Gaza on Monday, hours after he was taken from his car near the southern town of Khan Yunis, a Palestinian security official said. Meanwhile, a Palestinian man was killed and two others were wounded by an Israel Defense Forces shell fired at a house in the northern Gaza Strip late Monday, local residents and officials said. An IDF spokeswoman denied any military activity had taken place in the area and said the explosion was not caused by Israeli troops. Advertisement Hospital staff in Gaza said the 22-year-old man was killed when the shell exploded near his house in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanun. Local residents said he was a civilian. "The man was killed by an Israeli shell, and two other people including a relative of the dead man were wounded," said Muawiyah Hassanein, a health ministry official. Also late Monday, the Israel Air Force bombed a house suspected to be used as a storehouse for weapons. An IDF spokesman said the residents of the house had been warned in advance of the attack. Forced into car The kidnapped aid worker, 34-year-old Roberto Vila of the Spanish charity Cooperative Assembly for Peace, had been working in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank for two years, the organization's spokeswoman said in Madrid. Palestinian officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to talk to the media, said Vila was forced into a yellow Skoda at the edge of the town of Khan Yunis. Celine Gagne, a fellow worker, said she and Vila were on their way out of Khan Yunis after visiting a project for handicapped children when three or four men carrying Kalashnikov rifles stopped them. "They asked me to stay behind," she said. The gunmen then forced Vila into their car and sped away, she said. Palestinian security officials said they were searching for a yellow Skoda. Ghazi Hamad, spokesman for the Hamas-led Palestinian government, condemned the kidnapping, saying it hurts the Palestinian image abroad. "I think these people are thieves. They are not nationalists. They are just looking for personal profits, cheap profits, and we have to work against it," Hamad said. Tawfiq Abu Khoussa, spokesman for the rival Fatah party, called for Vila's immediate release. "The protection of our foreigner friends is a collective responsibility for all Palestinians," he said. Palestinian gunmen have kidnapped a series of foreign journalists and aid workers in Gaza over the past two years, usually pressing the government for money or job guarantees. In most cases, the hostages were quickly released, and none of the hostages have been seriously harmed. Last week, Palestinian gunmen kidnapped a Spanish Associated Press photographer in Gaza City, releasing him unharmed about 16 hours later Bookmark to del.icio.us   The black sheep The U.S. freezes Assad's cousin's assets for trying to weaken Iraq and Lebanon. Pristina, Ramallah Yasser Abed Rabbo called on the West Bank to declare independence like Kosovo.   1.   Business as usual in Gaza 16:15  |  maurice 30/10/06   2.   Not only evil but thick too! 16:23  |  Arnold 30/10/06   3.   Here we go again 16:35  |  Cristian 30/10/06   4.   Here we go again 16:44  |  witchy 30/10/06   5.   SAVAGES. They deserve neither statehood, nor autonomy 17:04  |  Vittorio 30/10/06   6.   Charity 17:05  |  KUTW 30/10/06   7.   Free roberto 17:10  |  luai 30/10/06   8.   Desperate people, thanks to whom? 17:19  |  Ralph 30/10/06   9.   Rewind Spanish Official Last Week Statements in Syria 17:24  |  Joseph E . 30/10/06   10.   HERE WE GO AGAIN 17:33  |  Yossi 30/10/06   11.   Maybe we`re all missing something here 17:37  |  rmartens@cozen.com 30/10/06   12.   The aid worker will be release in no time because he is not a Jew 17:38  |  Yaniv 30/10/06   13.   kind of palestinians 17:38  |  ian 30/10/06   14.   The occupation made me do it 17:40  |  Polybios 30/10/06   15.   Stupid Peace Activists 17:44  |  Efox 30/10/06   16.   Right on # 3 !! 17:57  |  Hilltop Inn 30/10/06   17.   Don`t Worry... 18:01  |  dave 30/10/06   18.   Israel-BASHERS: Where are your inventions about MOSSAD, Shin Bet? 18:32  |  Vittorio 30/10/06   19.   What was he thinking?! 19:04  |  Marco 30/10/06   20.   Understand why 20:10  |  OC 30/10/06   21.   Kidnapping Franchisees Wanted 20:47  |  * BEN JABO 30/10/06   22.   Kidnapping Franchisees Wanted 20:47  |  * BEN JABO 30/10/06   23.   re: Vittorio#4 20:58  |  Paulo 30/10/06   24.   To Ralph 21:01  |  Josh 30/10/06   25.   re: Joseph E 21:02  |  Paulo 30/10/06   26.   re: Marco 21:10  |  Paulo 30/10/06   27.   #9 your on to something 21:12  |  paul 30/10/06   28.   # 11 Ian @ scotland 21:14  |  Joseph E . 30/10/06   29.   yes Marco you right, he is a Roman hero 21:24  |  Gaza Boy 30/10/06   30.   23Paulore: Vittorio#4 00:39  |  Eylo 31/10/06   31.   Silence from ?? 01:44  |  * BEN JABO 31/10/06   32.   #28 @ Joseph E. 02:41  |  seb 31/10/06   33.   NO)W that he is free he can spread love and peace in Darfur 02:50  |  PETER. S.M 31/10/06   34.   #5Vittorio You are wrong, you are referring to.... 04:31  |  Maureen Ann 31/10/06   35.   MAUREEN ANN.No outrage from you here at the vilest anti semitic 05:06  |  PETER SM 31/10/06   36.   I was right (see above), he was released because he was not a 06:14  |  Yaniv 31/10/06   37.   #Peter SM My point exactly! 06:57  |  Maureen Ann 31/10/06   38.   GOOD JOB TERRORISTS 08:37  |  Mike "SuperJew Levy" 31/10/06   39.   MAUREEN ANN The common,accepted usage of anti semite is Anti Jew 10:09  |  PETER SM 31/10/06   40.   Big question Mark ?????? 10:14  |  Sam 31/10/06   41.   Has anyone noticed? 14:07  |  * BEN JABO 31/10/06   42.   lucky gazans 16:17  |  sbl 22/02/08

Today Online Bradley Burston: This November, I'm voting christian Responses: 43 Monopoly voting site drops country names after row over J'lem ownership Responses: 41 Ari Shavit: Time for Israel to show generosity toward Syria Responses: 33 Daniel Levy: Obama's change could be good for Israel Responses: 39 Iron Dome system found to be helpless against Qassams Responses: 122 McCain, a supporter of Israel with a 'Judeophile' brother Responses: 47 Rosner's Domain Obama has a mainstream Democratic team (WTR) Guests: Jewish women don't want to be shut out What America wants from an operation in Gaza U.S. victims of Palestinian terror await gov't stance on compensation Poll: Is it important to have an Israeli-Palestinian agreement by the end of 2008? More Headlines 19:55 Nasrallah: We're preparing for war with Israel within months 19:34 IAEA: Iran not complying with nuclear program inspection 19:03 Hamas: We won't rule out any bid for cease-fire with Israel 18:06 Turkish army launches ground offensive into northern Iraq 14:59 McCain, a supporter of Israel with a 'Judeophile' brother 18:01 U.S. to announce new aid plan for West Bank, Gaza Strip 17:52 Iraqi Shiites rally against Danish reprint of Muhammad cartoon 14:52 Thousands show solidarity with Qassam-stricken Sderot 08:47 Iron Dome system found to be helpless against Qassams 14:58 Actor Will Smith receives damages over alleged praise for Hitler Previous Editions Select Day 21 feb 20 feb 19 feb 18 feb 17 feb 15 feb 14 feb 13 feb 12 feb 11 feb 10 feb 08 feb

Special Offers Advertisement 7589 rockets fired so far HELP US TO HELP THEM Marina Royale Herzelia Pituach Your Luxurious Suite While Staying in Israel Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Dead Sea Salt Beauty and skin care from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 10% off! Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved