ianstone
03-26-2010, 01:33 PM
Breaking News
5:26pm UK, Friday March 26, 2010
Reports: Two Israeli Soldiers Killed In Gaza
Two Israeli soldiers have been killed and two others wounded in the Gaza Strip, according to the Israeli military.
Two Palestinians were killed in the exchange of fire near the border, according to an army spokesman.
"An officer and a soldier were killed and two others slightly wounded in an exchange of fire with terrorists planting explosives along the security fence in southern Gaza," the spokesman said in a statement.
The army deaths are the worst military losses for Israel in Gaza since the 2008-9 war.
More follows...
Israeli troops killed in Gaza border clashes
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/47542000/gif/_47542188_gaza_khanyounis.gif
Two Israeli soldiers have been killed during clashes with Hamas fighters on the Gaza Strip's southern border, the Israeli army has said. Two other soldiers were wounded during the fighting which broke out east of the town of Khan Younis.
Two Palestinian militants were also killed in the clashes, Palestinian and Israeli sources say.
The unrest may have been sparked by a bid by militants to seize an Israeli soldier, a BBC correspondent says.
Palestinian militants carried out a raid across the fence line and the Israeli military then appears to have pursued them back into Gaza, says the BBC's Paul Wood, in Jerusalem.
'Further response expected'
According to Palestinian sources, Israeli forces responded using tank shells and heavy machine guns, our correspondent adds.
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gifANALYSIS
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/47543000/jpg/_47543855_paul_wood_mar10.jpg
By Paul Wood
BBC News, Jerusalem
These clashes seem to have originated in an attempt by militant groups in Gaza to capture another Israeli soldier to add to Gilad Shalit, who has now been held for more than three years.
This was said by local sources in Gaza to have involved the military wing of Hamas and another small group, the PFLP General Command. This is broadly the same coalition responsible for taking Gilad Shalit prisoner. The resulting clashes were some of the most intense since the short war with Israel in early 2009.
But this has, in general, been a period of growing tension along the border with Gaza. There have been a number of rocket attacks - with the Israelis hitting back with airstrikes and other retaliation. If the past is any guide, therefore, a further Israeli military response can also now be expected.
In a statement, reported by the AFP news agency, an Israeli government spokesman said: "An officer and a soldier were killed and two others slightly wounded in an exchange of fire with terrorists planting explosives along the security fence in southern Gaza."
Hamas' armed wing - the Al-Qassam Brigades - said in a statement sent to the BBC, that it had killed the two Israeli soldiers.
Speaking to Reuters news agency, Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida is quoted as saying: "This was our work, but was carried out for defence."
A ceasefire between Israel and Islamist militant group Hamas, which governs Gaza, has largely held since the 2008-2009 conflict with Israel. Gaza - from which Israel withdrew in 2005 - remains under an Israeli-led blockade.
Israel's military said it blamed Hamas for Friday's violence.
"Hamas is accountable for any activity that takes place from Gaza to Israel. It doesn't matter if it took responsibility or not," a spokeswoman said, according to Reuters.
A soldiers life is often a thankless one
5:26pm UK, Friday March 26, 2010
Reports: Two Israeli Soldiers Killed In Gaza
Two Israeli soldiers have been killed and two others wounded in the Gaza Strip, according to the Israeli military.
Two Palestinians were killed in the exchange of fire near the border, according to an army spokesman.
"An officer and a soldier were killed and two others slightly wounded in an exchange of fire with terrorists planting explosives along the security fence in southern Gaza," the spokesman said in a statement.
The army deaths are the worst military losses for Israel in Gaza since the 2008-9 war.
More follows...
Israeli troops killed in Gaza border clashes
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/47542000/gif/_47542188_gaza_khanyounis.gif
Two Israeli soldiers have been killed during clashes with Hamas fighters on the Gaza Strip's southern border, the Israeli army has said. Two other soldiers were wounded during the fighting which broke out east of the town of Khan Younis.
Two Palestinian militants were also killed in the clashes, Palestinian and Israeli sources say.
The unrest may have been sparked by a bid by militants to seize an Israeli soldier, a BBC correspondent says.
Palestinian militants carried out a raid across the fence line and the Israeli military then appears to have pursued them back into Gaza, says the BBC's Paul Wood, in Jerusalem.
'Further response expected'
According to Palestinian sources, Israeli forces responded using tank shells and heavy machine guns, our correspondent adds.
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gifANALYSIS
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/47543000/jpg/_47543855_paul_wood_mar10.jpg
By Paul Wood
BBC News, Jerusalem
These clashes seem to have originated in an attempt by militant groups in Gaza to capture another Israeli soldier to add to Gilad Shalit, who has now been held for more than three years.
This was said by local sources in Gaza to have involved the military wing of Hamas and another small group, the PFLP General Command. This is broadly the same coalition responsible for taking Gilad Shalit prisoner. The resulting clashes were some of the most intense since the short war with Israel in early 2009.
But this has, in general, been a period of growing tension along the border with Gaza. There have been a number of rocket attacks - with the Israelis hitting back with airstrikes and other retaliation. If the past is any guide, therefore, a further Israeli military response can also now be expected.
In a statement, reported by the AFP news agency, an Israeli government spokesman said: "An officer and a soldier were killed and two others slightly wounded in an exchange of fire with terrorists planting explosives along the security fence in southern Gaza."
Hamas' armed wing - the Al-Qassam Brigades - said in a statement sent to the BBC, that it had killed the two Israeli soldiers.
Speaking to Reuters news agency, Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida is quoted as saying: "This was our work, but was carried out for defence."
A ceasefire between Israel and Islamist militant group Hamas, which governs Gaza, has largely held since the 2008-2009 conflict with Israel. Gaza - from which Israel withdrew in 2005 - remains under an Israeli-led blockade.
Israel's military said it blamed Hamas for Friday's violence.
"Hamas is accountable for any activity that takes place from Gaza to Israel. It doesn't matter if it took responsibility or not," a spokeswoman said, according to Reuters.
A soldiers life is often a thankless one