Israeli warplane destroys house in southern Gaza

dpa German Press Agency
Published: Friday October 13, 2006

Gaza- An Israeli warplane destroyed at predawn on Saturday a Palestinian-owned house in southern Gaza Strip by firing an air-to- ground rocket, causing no injuries, security sources said. The sources said that an Israeli army officer telephoned the owner of the three-store house Hamdi al-Ashshi and ordered him to evacuate his house only 15 minutes before it was targeted.

Israeli Television, Channel 10, reported that the large-scale Israeli army ground and air operation into the Gaza Strip was intended to prevent the firing of homemade rockets from Gaza at Israel, and free a captive Israeli soldier held in Gaza since June 25.

Eyewitnesses said that an F16 warplane flew over the area and suddenly a huge blast was heard in al-Sallam neighbourhood in the town of Rafah near the borders between Gaza Strip and Egypt. No injuries were reported.

Meanwhile, Palestinian security sources said that more than 20 Israeli army tanks and armoured vehicles backed by fighter aircraft stormed the eastern part of Jabalia town in northern Gaza Strip.

Eyewitnesses said that the Israeli army forces enntered the area amidst intensive gunfire, adding that Palestinian militants fired several homemade missiles at the Israeli forces. No injuries were reported.

In the town of Abbassan, east of the southern Gaza Strip town of Khan Younis, residents said that the Israeli army force that stormed the eastern part of Abbassan had pulled out after a two-day ground operation.

The Israeli army killed seven Palestinians in the area, including a mother, a child, two civilians and three militants, during the ground operation into eastern Abbassan town.

© 2006 dpa German Press Agency

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