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Army of Islam leader killed in Gaza By Haaretz Correspondents and AP , By Avi Issacharoff and Yuval Azoulay At least seven Palestinians were killed yesterday in three Israel Air Force strikes in the Gaza Strip that seemed to target the radical Army of Islam organization. Six militants were killed when the IAF attacked a blue Subaru in the southern Gaza Strip town of Khan Yunis. The strike destroyed the car and the Palestinian Health Ministry said all of its occupants were killed. Among the dead was Muataz Durmush, the second in command of Army of Islam, an organization that was involved in the 2006 kidnapping of Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit. The other casualties were also apparently members of the group. Muataz' half-brother Mumtaz is considered the commander of the Army of Islam. Advertisement Another militant was killed in an attack on the central Gaza town of Deir el-Balah. The dead man was also identified as a member of the Army of Islam. Two other Palestinians were wounded in a strike just minutes earlier in the same town. Their identities were not immediately known. The Israel Defense Forces confirmed all three of the attacks and said it had targeted militants in vehicles, and that all three strikes were carried out in accordance with specific intelligence from the Shin Bet security service regarding militant activity. Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri condemned the air strikes as an attempt to ruin efforts to reach a cease-fire and vowed revenge. The Army of Islam was founded some two years ago by the Durmush clan and was initially a close partner of Hamas. It is associated with Al-Qaida and took part in attacks and the kidnappings of foreigners, including the abduction of BBC reporter Alan Johnston. Johnston's kidnapping represented a break in the partnership with Hamas, which was interested in releasing the BBC reporter, in part to show there was law and order in the Gaza Strip following the violent takeover by Hamas. In the kidnapping, Hamas gunman laid siege to the Durmush compound and eventually set fire to it, destroying the place. Both sides then reached an agreement on the release of Johnston and continued activity of the Army of Islam within the Gaza Strip. Gazan militants yesterday fired mortar shells and rockets at Israeli villages and towns near the Gaza Strip. No injuries nor damage was reported. Meanwhile, Defense Ministry official Amos Gilad left for Egypt for talks with Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman over the supposedly imminent truce between Israel and Hamas. Defense Minister Ehud Barak commented: "it's still too early to talk about a calm and when it begins, if it begins, it is difficult to ascertain how long it will last. We will judge it by its results but it is important to make use of every change to return the peace to Ashkelon, Sderot and other settlements near the Gaza Strip and resume talks over returning [abducted IDF soldier Gilad] Shalit." Bookmark to del.icio.us   Fragile cease-fire Olmert: Gaza cease-fire is fragile, may be short lived. Unbalanced stance Italy FM: EU stance on Israel in past swayed by intolerance.

Read & React Olmert: Gaza cease-fire is fragile, may not last Responses: 318 ANALYSIS / Cease-fire deal means Hamas is calling the shots Responses: 88 Moshe Arens: Israel has nothing to fear from next U.S. administration Responses: 50 Olmert to French daily: Israel, Syria not far from direct talks Responses: 50 Editorial: Law to ban Arab MKs from visiting enemy states is an insulting PR ploy Responses: 66 More Headlines 22:05 Noam Shalit threatens to appeal Gaza truce in court 21:56 Olmert: Gaza cease-fire is fragile, may be short lived 23:29 Lebanon PM: There's no place for bilateral talks with Israel 22:48 Olmert to French daily: Israel, Syria not far from direct talks 23:49 Italy FM: EU stance on Israel in past swayed by intolerance of Jews 02:01 Eager yet untrusting, both sides of Gaza border await calm 21:38 World welcomes Gaza truce, urges sides to fulfill obligations 18:07 Families of missing soldiers briefed ahead of Hezbollah deal 21:13 Hezbollah supporters hurl stones at U.S. envoy's car in Lebanon 14:45 Shas MK: 300,000 Jews still in Ethiopia eligible for immigration 23:35 9 people killed in car accidents across Israel Wednesday 21:14 Latin America Jewish Congress honors Chilean President Previous Editions Select Day 18 jun 17 jun 16 jun 15 jun 13 jun 12 jun 11 jun 10 jun 09 jun 08 jun 06 jun 05 jun

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