Israeli air strike on northern Gaza kills four Palestinians

Monday May 21, 2007 13:04 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC & Agencies

An Israeli air strike on northern Gaza has hit a car, killing four Palestinians believed to be members of the Islamic Jihad

A Gaza woman inspecting debris of her shelled house in recent Israeli strikes

Medical sources in Gaza identified the dead as Majed Albatsh, Aziz Alhelou, Mohammad Abu Ne’ma, and Mahmoud Awad.’

Footage screened on TV stations showed shattered bodies on the street, a scene that has become common in Gaza of late.

Of today’s attack, witnesses stated that a white-colored Subaru car was driving on the Salah Eldin road in the northern Gaza Strip city of Beit Lahya, when an Israeli warplane fired missiles on it.

The attack forms part of Israel’s non-stop barrage against targets in the Gaza Strip, a policy informed by the administration’s decision to resume targeted killings against members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

Israel claims its operations in Gaza are in response to missile attacks against Israeli towns and settlements adjacent to the Strip.

Yesterday, in an attempt on the life of the senior Hamas official Khalil Alhayya, Israeli warplanes attacked a family gathering hall in Gaza city, killing seven members of the Alhayya family and one other person. The targeted individual was not at home at the time.

Israel later alleged that the air strike targeted a group of militants and not the house itself.

Since last Thursday, approximately 35 Palestinian men, women and children have been killed and more than 90 others wounded in a series of air strikes in different parts of Gaza region.

Human rights groups have denounced the attacks, branding them illegal under international law and calling on the Israeli government to halt the operations with immediate effect.

gaza strip | israeli attacks | news report rami at imemc dot org