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Palestinian mourners at the funeral of one of three Islamic Jihad militants killed in an IAF strike on Saturday. (AP)
Last update - 11:19 16/03/2008
IAF strike kills three Islamic Jihad militants in northern Gaza
By Yuval Azoulay and Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondents
Tags: Israel Air Force, Hamas 

Three Palestinian militants were killed early Saturday night in an Israel Air Force strike east of Gaza City. According to the Israel Defense Forces Spokesman's Office, the men were Islamic Jihad members on their way to launch Qassam rockets at Israel.

The men were identified as Bassel Shabet, Mohammed Sha'er and Hassan Shakura. According to the Shin Bet security service, they were behind the firing of the Qassam that cost Osher Twito, 8, of Sderot his leg last month. Osher's brother Rami, 19, was also hurt in the rocket attack.

Shortly after this incident, IAF aircraft fired at two armed militants in an open area near Beit Lahia, in the northern Gaza Strip. The IDF confirmed that the men were hit.
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The IDF actions were the first attacks on armed militants in the Strip in over a week, since the steep drop in rocket fire aimed at Israel. Rocket fire from the Strip resumed on Thursday in response to an Israeli assault on an Islamic Jihad cell in Bethlehem, in which senior Jihad military commander Mohammed Shehadeh was killed. Eight Qassams were fired into Israel Friday and two Saturday. No injuries or damage were reported.

On Friday afternoon, Hamas militants directing machine-gun fire at an IAF combat helicopter scored a single bullet hit into one of the aircraft's panels. The pilots returned to base, where an examination confirmed that very little damage had been caused.

The helicopter had been circling over the northern Gaza Strip, on routine patrol to observe and fire on Qassam launch cells.

An IDF Spokesman statement issued after the incident said that the IAF does not provide details about its activities. However, a senior military source said this weekend, "Several times in the past, when the Palestinians observered IDF helicopters entering the Gaza area they have lifted the barrels of rifles and machine guns in an attempt to hit them. This time a single bullet hit a panel but did not cause serious damage. It has happened in the past and it should not be dismissed lightly." The source added that when the aircraft returned to base it did not make an emergency landing.

Hamas military wing spokesman Abu Obeida said the organization's militants would continue "to confront the Zionist warplanes, vehicles and soldiers." He said Hamas gunmen "fired machine guns at the helicopter from different directions," calling it "progress for the resistance and a message to the forces of occupation that our people will continue to attack with any means they get."

Abu Obeida said the machine guns were confiscated from the security headquarters of Fatah during the Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip last year. According to various reports, Hamas is in possession of more than 10 Russian-made KPV-14.5 heavy machine guns. During the fighting in the Gaza Strip about two weeks ago, militants were photographed on a few occasions firing heavy machine guns at Israeli aircraft.

The Palestinian news agency Maan reported Friday that the office of Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah called Shehadeh's widow and pledged the organization's financial support for her family and those of the other three Islamic Jihad men killed in Wednesday's raid in Bethlehem.

All four Islamic Jihad men were buried with the yellow Hezbollah flag.

Hamas Prime Minister in Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh, also spoke with relatives of the four men.

Palestinian militant organizations have recently issued statements on a few occasions claiming successful hits on IDF helicopters providing cover to Israeli ground forces engaged in activities deep into Palestinian territory in the Strip.

Concerns about the possible acquisition by terror organizations of anti-tank weapons was first raised in the Israeli military establishment during the height of the second intifada. Officials feared that Russian-made surface-to-air Strela missiles had been smuggled into Gaza in order to bring down IDF helicopters. Such missiles have never been fired in Gaza but as a precautionary measure even before the 2005 disengagement the IAF has avoided flying very important personages over Gaza's skies.

Related articles:
  • Officials: IAF helicopter hit by Palestinian fire over Gaza
  • Defense Minister: Fighting in southern Israel, Gaza may soon resume
  • Hamas: Cease-fire deal must include West Bank
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      1.   We took them. We fixed them and we are using them now to defend 14:02  |  Chris Linthwaite 15/03/08
      2.   The narcissism of so-called men with small arms 14:32  |  Panther Jet 15/03/08
      3.   they dont show--- 14:50  |  matilda 15/03/08
      4.   What? You defend your people?You kill your people Abu Obeida 15:06  |  Abdul 15/03/08
      5.   Chris the defender of little folk 15:27  |  Panther Jet 15/03/08
      6.   #3 Matilda 15:30  |  Paul Wood 15/03/08
      7.   Heat seeker 15:55  |  William 15/03/08
      8.   to Wood Re: Banning media groups 16:04  |  Joe 15/03/08
      9.   Seeker of Truth, Fairness and Liberty 16:07  |  Panther Jet 15/03/08
      10.   Smuggling arms to Gaza. 16:11  |  Vital 15/03/08
      11.   it wont take many dead IAF pilots to have zionist mommies decide 16:18  |  end the occupation 15/03/08
      12.   #7 heat seeker 16:19  |  Lou Medel 15/03/08
      13.   Panther Jet: another big talking zionist in bogata 16:20  |  how`s the weather 15/03/08
      14.   # 5 panther 16:39  |  Axel 15/03/08
      15.   Journalistic sleight of hand? 16:40  |  just another jew 15/03/08
      16.   #10 the strategist and more humour 17:44  |  v ictor hardman 15/03/08
      17.   #13 and axel should know about the tank battle in russia 17:50  |  v hardman 15/03/08
      18.   Look at the location of the AA guns; do not come later 17:51  |  Mark Anthony 15/03/08
      19.   Chris LintBrain ? Defenders of Gaza? 18:45  |  Dan 15/03/08
      20.   # 15 18:51  |  Axel 15/03/08
      21.   Camel droppings catapulted towards IDF helicopters 19:17  |  Fortuna Benmayor 15/03/08
      22.   The Israelo-Arab conflict 19:32  |  Jean Van Daem 15/03/08
      23.   To 11-Your post does not help. 19:48  |  Vital 15/03/08
      24.   Moot point Axel #20 19:49  |  Joe 15/03/08
      25.   More HaAretz lies 19:54  |  Frank 15/03/08
      26.   Big deal, Israel will fly the F-15 s and will drop 20:10  |  ottomatik 15/03/08
      27.   IAF Strike 20:17  |  MJM 15/03/08
      28.   Good job, IDF 20:22  |  KUTW 15/03/08
      29.   Soldiers should refuse to serve in the IDF`s Killing machine 20:27  |  Dutch 15/03/08
      30.   Muslims should refuse being member of the Islamic death cult 20:56  |  Genuine Tosefta 15/03/08
      31.   And here is `scratched-record-Dutch` again! 21:03  |  A Jew 15/03/08
      32.   # 25 ottomatik 21:09  |  Axel 15/03/08
      33.   How can a war plane be zionist? 21:13  |  Confused 15/03/08
      34.   Dutch 21:15  |  Firefighter 15/03/08
      35.   Chris Linthwaite #1 21:21  |  Sam 15/03/08
      36.   Dutch: should soldiers refuse to serve? NO! Dutch should refuse. 21:35  |  Virrorio 15/03/08
      37.   Something new for the thugs of the IAF to sweat about 21:37  |  Clickfool 15/03/08
      38.   I can see it amuses you Axel; rubbing your hands in anticipation? 21:53  |  Figaro 15/03/08
      39.   Congrats, IDF! 21:54  |  Amazed 15/03/08
      40.   Palestinians should refuse to serve in Hamas 21:55  |  Murray of Montreal 15/03/08
      41.   #36 Clickfool you have GOT to be kidding 22:22  |  Conroy 15/03/08
      42.   Clickfool, wishfool thinking 22:35  |  Franco 15/03/08
      43.   Clickfool`s latest foolish comment.... 22:41  |  The Judge 15/03/08
      44.   @Dutch: TRY! 22:52  |  civilized Kid 15/03/08
      45.   HAMAS TOOK THE MACHINE GUNS FROM FATAH?? 23:02  |  Ian 15/03/08
      46.   Another poor innocent terrorists killed 23:16  |  Dan 15/03/08
      47.   To Creepfoot: Something new for the Hamas terrorist supporters 23:28  |  Dan 15/03/08
      48.   Re: " Something new for the thugs of the IAF to sweat about" 00:25  |  Murray of Montreal 16/03/08
      49.   suspect this story is not complete 00:39  |  lakshmi 16/03/08
      50.   ignorant misguided fools 00:40  |  andy12 16/03/08
      51.   CF 37 00:42  |  ChanahS 16/03/08
      52.   How many left out of the 50,000?? Anyone counting? 00:56  |  Free Gilad Shalit 16/03/08
      53.   #7 and #12 01:16  |  alan 16/03/08
      54.   murray and fake tossi should refuse to do anything for zion but 01:45  |  run their mouths 16/03/08
      55.   firefighter 01:47  |  Leo 16/03/08
      56.   To Ottomatik: But Israel is Losing 01:48  |  Dave Levy 16/03/08
      57.   it amuses me Figaro :) 01:53  |  get over it 16/03/08
      58.   To Ottomatik: Next Year In Tel Aviv by Jerusalem 01:55  |  Dave Levy 16/03/08
      59.   #11 What "occupation?" None in Gaza! 01:56  |  MaryRose 16/03/08
      60.   #4 Abdul It is so sad, isn`t it? 02:05  |  MaryRose 16/03/08
      61.   Dutch: you are 100% correct when you state... 02:11  |  Richard S 16/03/08
      62.   Israel Kills. Every day. 02:20  |  Babidu 16/03/08
      63.   #14 Axel 02:31  |  Panther Jet 16/03/08
      64.   On the misuse of the word terrorist 02:41  |  Babidu 16/03/08
      65.   NO COPTERS NEEDED - DRONES WILL DO JOB 02:52  |  * BEN JABO 16/03/08
      66.   When organized crime takes over a town 02:54  |  fiona 16/03/08
      67.   Hamas, islamic jihad, fatah: who cares all are enemies...... 03:51  |  bernard ross 16/03/08
      68.   big response coming to the self chosen 05:05  |  tik tok 16/03/08
      69.   Axel 05:26  |  ottomatik 16/03/08
      70.   #63 Babidu