IAF kills 4 Hamas men as big Gaza Strip operation looms - Haaretz

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Sat., December 01, 2007 Kislev 21, 5768

Israel Time: 01:28 (EST+7)

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IAF kills 4 Hamas men as big Gaza Strip operation looms

By Haaretz Correspondent and Agencies , By Yuval Azoulay

Four Hamas militants were killed before dawn yesterday in two separate Israel Air Force strikes near the southern Gaza Strip town of Khan Yunis. Defense sources said the plans for a major operation in Gaza are ready and the Southern Command is waiting for the word to move. The next terror attack, abduction or fatal rocket fire could trigger the operation.

The Israel Defense Forces said the first attack yesterday was against two men trying to plant a bomb near the border fence, while the second was against two militants preparing to fire mortar shells at IDF forces south of Khan Yunis and at nearby communities.

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On Wednesday an air strike on a Hamas security position killed two of the group's naval officers after Palestinians fired 20 mortar shells and two rockets into Israel, Palestinian medics and the IDF said.

At least 10 other people were wounded in that attack.

Yesterday's killings brought the number of Palestinian fatalities in the Gaza Strip since last Thursday to 20. The IDF says they were all involved in terrorist activity - some were killed near the border fence in an attempt to plant bombs or infiltrate into Israel, while others were killed in land attacks and in air strikes on Qassam rocket launchers.

Others were killed in IDF attacks on Hamas positions in the southern Gaza Strip, in retaliation to mortar fire at Israel.

Defense sources said yesterday that Israel does not intend to check who is behind every projectile fired at it. Hamas, as the sovereign in the region, will be the target of Israeli strikes, the sources said.

Since the beginning of the year some 250 armed Palestinians have been killed in clashes with IDF troops or in air strikes, the IDF says. This indicates the war going on in the area and the motivation of the Palestinian militants in Gaza to carry out an attack on Israeli troops or one of the nearby communities.

"Until now terrorists have not infiltrated any of the communities along the Gaza Strip border. This is not self-evident. Constant warfare and alertness are required," a military source said. "This does not mean that such an attack will not take place or that Israeli soldiers won't get killed. The other side is always studying us and we're aware of it."

IDF sources said militants in the Gaza Strip were increasing their efforts to carry out a terror attack and have fired many dozens of mortar shells during the past few weeks. One shell landed not far from Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi on a visit to the region two days ago.

Israel has a dilemma, a defense source said yesterday. "For two months until this week Israel had to drag the Annapolis conference around like a ball and chain. This prevented it from launching a big operation in the Gaza Strip. Now the ball has been taken off, only to be replaced by another - the peace negotiations due to be resumed with the Palestinians."

Defense officials said yesterday a big military operation in the Gaza Strip was inevitable. The circumstances will determine the timing, one of them said. Fatal rocket fire, a major terror attack or an abduction could prompt the operation and create the appropriate public opinion.

Meanwhile, Israel will make do with targeting Qassam launchers and bomb planters approaching the border fence, the source said.

Before going to Annapolis, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said that every passing day brought Israel closer to a major operation in the Gaza Strip.

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