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IAF strikes Gaza targets in wake of Kerem Shalom attack By Yuval Azoulay, Mijal Grinberg, Yoav Stern and Avi Issacharoff In a series of air strikes over the weekend, the Israel Air Force killed at least six Hamas gunmen and wounded several others following a well-coordinated attack by explosives-laden vehicles against the Kerem Shalom crossing early Saturday morning, which wounded 13 Israeli soldiers. Shortly after the air strikes, two Qassam rockets were fired from Gaza at the western Negev. No injuries or damage were reported. Later, five more rockets were fired into Israel. They also hit open areas and caused no damage or injuries. Advertisement The incident Saturday morning began when three Hamas vehicles approached the Kerem Shalom crossing under the cover of thick fog. The three vehicles were painted in IDF colors and were made to look like IDF vehicles. Leading the Hamas convoy was an armored vehicle, which began the attack by crashing through the gate at the Kerem Shalom fence, destroying it. It was followed by two Hamas jeeps laden with explosives. One headed for a nearby watchtower and exploded, lightly injuring a number of soldiers. The other moved toward IDF vehicles where soldiers guarding the Kerem Shalom crossing were stationed. That jeep also exploded, and caused most of the injuries. The soldiers then engaged the occupants of the armored vehicle and killed them in a gun battle. All the while, the Hamas attack was accompanied by a covering barrage of mortar fire against the IDF positions. Eight soldiers were taken to Soroka Hospital in Be'er Sheva, with moderate or light injuries, and the rest were treated in the field. Three Hamas gunmen were killed in the attack. The deputy commander of the Givati Desert Patrol Battalion, on duty at the time of the attack, is credited with preventing heavier casualties. While he was in pursuit of the armored vehicle, he noticed the second jeep heading toward the parked vehicles. Fearing that it, too, might explode, he called on his men to take cover in the armored vehicles, which they did as the Hamas jeep blew up. Soon after the attack Saturday, an IDF rocket hit another Hamas vehicle approaching the fence area, resulting in a major explosion. Hamas claimed responsibility for the incident, which the IDF described as the Islamic group's most audacious attack since Israel's disengagement from the Gaza Strip in 2005. The goal of the attack appeared to be heavy IDF casualties and the abduction of a soldier. Defense Minister Ehud Barak told senior officers of the Gaza Division Saturday that Hamas will pay for the attack on the Kerem Shalom crossing. Barak and IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi visited the division and were briefed on the activity in the area following the attack earlier in the day. An earlier attack near Kerem Shalom, which took place on Thursday, was likely part of an intelligence-gathering mission in preparation for Saturday's attack. Gunmen opened fire on the Israeli side of the crossing, but a patrol of Givati Brigade soldiers located nearby fired back, killing one gunman and wounding another, who fled with a third gunman into the Strip. Sources in the IDF Gaza Division said the shooters were spotted in time by lookouts, making it possible to call in the patrol to prevent an attack. The crossing, used for agricultural produce and to send humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, was closed after the shooting until further notice. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Undressed to impress Yeshiva student strips in a supermarket to protest sale of chametz during Passover. Ante up Hamas offers truce in return for a Palestinian state along Israel's pre-1967 borders.

Read & React Meshal offers 10-year truce for Palestinian state on '67 borders Responses: 340 Gideon Levy: Hamas and Israel - how different are they? Responses: 106 Jewish ex-aide to Bill Clinton accuses U.S. of pro-Israel bias Responses: 108 Hamas vows 'harsh' attacks on Israel, says previous attacks were 'practice' Responses: 136 More Headlines 01:31 IDF strikes kill three gunmen in northern Gaza 23:13 Meshal offers 10-year truce for Palestinian state on '67 borders 01:31 Israel to pay $12 million to family of British filmmaker killed by IDF 01:15 IDF commander axed for not confronting militants in fuel depot attack 21:52 Rights group: Israel allows fewer Gaza cancer patients to enter 21:20 Yeshiva student undresses in store to protest chametz sale 19:34 El Al announces 6.5% ticket price hike due to higher oil costs 23:42 Carter: U.S. would not stand in way of Israel-Syria peace deal 19:28 PA hopes to raise $1.5 billion at next month`s W. Bank conference 14:17 Dear Diplomat, whose side are you really on? Previous Editions Select Day 21 apr 20 apr 18 apr 17 apr 16 apr 15 apr 14 apr 13 apr 11 apr 10 apr 09 apr 08 apr

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