Wednesday, 7 January 2009
Bethlehem – Ma’an – A Palestinian has committed the first suicide bombing in fighting with invading Israeli forces in Gaza, Hamas’ armed forces said on Tuesday.
According to Abu Ubayda, the spokesman of the Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas fighters managed to lure a group of Israeli soldiers into a building in the town of Beit Lahiya, in the northern Gaza Strip. While those soldiers clashed with the first group of fighters, another man climbed into an Israeli tank and blew himself up.
The Israeli military did not confirm this account. The military spokesperson's office did say that "Paratrooper forces operating in northern Gaza identified a suicide bomber approaching them in order to detonate himself against the soldiers. The troops fired at the man, causing his suicide belt to detonate. One soldier was lightly wounded in the incident."
In a related development, Israeli media said yesterday their soldiers shot a Palestinian fighter carrying explosive belt, and as he exploded, an Israeli soldier was hurt.
Ubu Ubayda claimed that hundreds of Hamas fighters ready to blow themselves up will be waiting for Israeli soldiers. He highlighted that fierce clashes erupted in elevated areas near Gaza City that Israeli forces had captured, such as Ar-Rayis hill, Al-Kashif hill and Al-Atatra. Fierce clashes erupted also in open area west of Beit Lahiya, he added.
The spokesperson also referred to “dozens” of dead among Israeli soldiers, asserting that Palestinian resistance used heavy explosive devices weighing 60 kilograms.
