TA-ATTACKS: Bombing at Gaza Military Base, Casualties

An attack has taken place at an Israeli military base in Gaza near the Jewish settlement of Gush Katif. Explosives were reportedly "packed" in a tunnel dug under the base and detonated; at the same time, mortars and gunfire rained down. Initial reports said 'scores' of people were killed or injured, however it seems the death toll is only at one or two soldiers, with less than a dozen injured.
Both Hamas and Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade has claimed responsibility, saying it was a joint operation between the two groups. It is in response to the killings of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and Abdel Aziz Rantisi, who led Hamas until their deaths at the hand of Israeli military strikes.

Reuters

Gunfire and mortar attacks are still ongoing.

As rescue efforts were underway, another barrage of gunfire was heard, hampering the efforts. Reports indicate only bulletproof ambulances are able to reach the scene

At least one building has been destroyed, reportedly trapping people in the rubble. Other buildings suffered heavy damage.

Details to follow . . .


Related News Stories:
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Al Jazeera



[edit on 27-6-2004 by Banshee]

AP news

Jun 27, 3:26 PM EDT

Explosion Goes Off Near Israeli Army Base

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) -- A large explosion went off Sunday near an Israeli army base in the Gaza Strip, causing a number of casualties, paramedics and the army said.

Story

B. this looks to be a very "orchestrated" attack with planted explosives in the tunnel going off at the same time the base came under mortar fire and under fire from assault rifles.

Another story

(IsraelNN.com) What is being described as an extremely powerful car bomb or bomb that was detonated in a tunnel under the road was detonated in Gush Katif

www.israelnn.com...

Jerusalem Post is reporting at least 30 wounded.

www.jpost.com.../JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1088305778186

[edit on 6-27-2004 by Valhall]

5 Dead in Gush Katif Attack � Rockets & Gunfire Continue

www.israelnn.com...

This has scrolling updates...
Homepage with scrolling headlines to INN

At least 30 casualties, 5 critically injured, at Israeli Orhan military position at Gush Katif junction in Gaza Strip, blown up by large Palestinian detonated in tunnel under position. Some wounded trapped in collapsed structure. Rescue teams administer emergency treatment under heavy Palestinian mortar and automatic fire delays.

Firing on ambulances.

They're going to slaughter the palestinians in the morning for this one.

J.P. article states that only bullet-proof ambulances are being dispatched at that the MDA is not being allowed in yet due to heavy gunfire.

Also, there is the concern that soldiers are trapped under a collapsed structure.

Al Jazeera Story


Image-AlJazeera

Israeli soldiers killed at Gaza checkpoint

english.aljazeera.net... BB60F0B60E.htm

Just heard it on the news, dead down to 1!!!

By Charles Krauthammer
Friday, June 18, 2004; Page A29

While no one was looking, something historic happened in the Middle East. The Palestinian intifada is over, and the Palestinians have lost. For Israel, the victory is bitter. The past four years of terrorism have killed almost 1,000 Israelis and maimed thousands of others. But Israel has won strategically. The intent of the intifada was to demoralize Israel, destroy its economy, bring it to its knees, and thus force it to withdraw and surrender to Palestinian demands, just as Israel withdrew in defeat from southern Lebanon in May 2000
www.washingtonpost.com...

It does not appear that the palestinians were informed that the intifada is over as this appears to be a significant operation. No doubt israel will retaliate, so the beat goes on.

5 IDF soldiers injured (four lightly and one suffers serious injuries) and
2 still trapped under the rubble of the outpost which was completely destroyed.

The blast was set off by explosives planted in a 350-meter (1,000 feet) long tunnel.
The terrorists detonated 150 kilograms (more than 300 pounds) of explosives underneath the outpost.

Palestinian gunmen fired mortar shells at rescue forces as they attempted to evacuate the injured from the site of the attack and in Gaza City, about 2,000 people rushed into the streets to celebrate, among them about 100 armed men.

Originally posted by df1
By Charles Krauthammer
Friday, June 18, 2004; Page A29

While no one was looking, something historic happened in the Middle East. The Palestinian intifada is over, and the Palestinians have lost. For Israel, the victory is bitter. The past four years of terrorism have killed almost 1,000 Israelis and maimed thousands of others. But Israel has won strategically. The intent of the intifada was to demoralize Israel, destroy its economy, bring it to its knees, and thus force it to withdraw and surrender to Palestinian demands, just as Israel withdrew in defeat from southern Lebanon in May 2000
www.washingtonpost.com...

It does not appear that the palestinians were informed that the intifada is over as this appears to be a significant operation. No doubt israel will retaliate, so the beat goes on.

I doubt that it is really over. You are dealing with a very determined faction of the population that has nothing to lose. Israel's policies in the area have perpetuated this. These people have no food, no bility to farm effectivly, very little in the way of rights, the inabilty to come and go etc. This type of resistance is very difficult to quell by matching it force on force. For each Palistinian killed another seems willing to take its place.

Israel has quietly changed its tactics to one of genocide. If they cant defeat the Palistinians, they will simply eliminate them house by house, family by family.

Im sure the retaliation will be swift and brutal even if they have to hit the general population. Look out women and children the IDF is on thier way to hut near you

"They have no food, no water, blah blah blah..."

It's a common mistake to think that the terrorists attack because their enemies don't allow them to live as they wish.

Actually if they had lots of money and lots of food, the number of terror attacks would only grow, because it would become much easier for them to do. They brought their current situation upon them by killing dozens of inoccent people. And guess what, Israeli restrictions on the palestinians have only reduced the number of terror attacks.

You don't need to be very smart in order to understand all that, you can just read some history books.


[edit on 28/6/04 by Transc3ndent]

Originally posted by Transc3ndent
"They have no food, no water, blah blah blah..."

It's a common mistake to think that the terrorists attack because their enemies don't allow them to live as they wish.

Actually if they had lots of money and lots of food, the number of terror attacks would only grow, because it would become much easier for them to do. They brought their current situation upon them by killing dozens of inoccent people. And guess what, Israeli restrictions on the palestinians have only reduced the number of terror attacks.

You don't need to be very smart in order to understand all that, you can just read some history books.


[edit on 28/6/04 by Transc3ndent]

Sorry, maybe I just havent read the history books you own. Gee the number of attacks are down? Not what everybody (except maybe Fox news) is reporting. Perhaps if you dusted off your history books, we can see some recent parallels.

The actions of Israel in the west bank and Gaza are genocide plain and simple. Slobidan Milosovich, Pol Pot, and Adolf Hitler come to mind with the few picture that come out of the West Bank. Which of these three guys do you want to support? The IDF is expelling people from thier home and erecting settlements in thier place. They are systematically starving, killing and expelling people from thier own land.

Suicide bombers are tragic so are the lives that have, and will continue to be lost. Violence begats violence and Israel and the IDF is reaping what they have sown

Originally posted by FredT

Originally posted by Transc3ndent
"They have no food, no water, blah blah blah..."

It's a common mistake to think that the terrorists attack because their enemies don't allow them to live as they wish.

Actually if they had lots of money and lots of food, the number of terror attacks would only grow, because it would become much easier for them to do. They brought their current situation upon them by killing dozens of inoccent people. And guess what, Israeli restrictions on the palestinians have only reduced the number of terror attacks.

You don't need to be very smart in order to understand all that, you can just read some history books.


[edit on 28/6/04 by Transc3ndent]

Sorry, maybe I just havent read the history books you own. Gee the number of attacks are down? Not what everybody (except maybe Fox news) is reporting. Perhaps if you dusted off your history books, we can see some recent parallels.

The actions of Israel in the west bank and Gaza are genocide plain and simple. Slobidan Milosovich, Pol Pot, and Adolf Hitler come to mind with the few picture that come out of the West Bank. Which of these three guys do you want to support? The IDF is expelling people from thier home and erecting settlements in thier place. They are systematically starving, killing and expelling people from thier own land.

Suicide bombers are tragic so are the lives that have, and will continue to be lost. Violence begats violence and Israel and the IDF is reaping what they have sown

Hmmm, about the number of attacks, well, if you didn't know, during the first half of 2004 there was a 75% (!) decrease in the number of terror attacks on Israel, compared to the first half of 2003 (you can calculate it yourself if you'll do a little reasearch). And if you didn't already guess, the only cause for this is Israeli military actions.

The history books I was talking about are normal history books which you can find in every library. If you'll read some of those, you will see that the number of terror attacks on Israel during negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians only grew, and Israeli military actions only decreased them.

For example, after operation "Homat-Magen" - probably the largest Israeli military operation in the last few years - there were almost no alert on terror attack for a few months (!), until the terrorists continued to manufacture explosives and get weapons illegaly.

Genocide? If you think Israeli actions are genocide, then you know nothing about Israeli actions, and nothing about genocide. Israel could kill or get rid of all the palestinians long time ago if they wanted to do so.

About their way of life as you see it on CNN (which is probably your only source on what's happening in Israel) - well, if you didn't notice, arabs live in about the same way in Egypt, Jordan, and in almost any other arabian country. As for Israeli restrictions, even a simple palestinian will tell you that they came as a reply to terror attacks on Israel, not vise-versa. Those terror attacks, by the way, started even before Israel exicted, and before IDF.