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Old 01-27-2009, 03:12 PM   #1
Antaletriangle
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Default Israel vows to hit back after roadside bomb kills soldier on Gaza border

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle5598414.ece
From Times OnlineJanuary 27, 2009

Israel vows to hit back after roadside bomb kills soldier on Gaza border
(David Buimovitch/AFP/Getty Images)
An Israeli Cobra army helicopter shoots flares over the Gaza Strip after the bomb attack today

James Hider in Jerusalem and David Byers
Israel promised to respond today after Palestinian militants killed a soldier in a bomb attack, an incident which left the fragile ceasefire between the two sides on the brink of crumbling.

Ehud Barak, the Defence Minister, said that Israel "cannot accept" the attack, which took place as the soldier patrolled the Kissufim crossing with Gaza, and would retaliate following an emergency meeting of the country's security chiefs.

The incident threatened to destroy the calm which has largely prevailed since Israel and the Islamist group unilaterally ended a three-week conflict on January 17.

It comes at the worst possible time for humanitarian organisations, which have been distributing desperately-needed aid to the coastal strip while international donors discuss how best to help the territory rebuild.

As he called the meeting of security chiefs, Mr Barak said Israel "cannot accept" the attack. "We will respond, but there is no point in elaborating," he said.

Israeli soldiers briefly crossed the border in search of the attackers with a 27-year-old Palestinian man, believed to be a farmer, being killed in a crossfire between the Army and Hamas militants, while two others were wounded.

"One non-commissioned officer was killed and one officer severely wounded and two others lightly wounded when an explosive device was detonated," an Israeli Army spokesman said.

No Palestinian militant group took responsibility for the attack, believed to be the most serious breach of the truce that both sides are trying to firm up in Egyptian-brokered talks in Cairo.

Despite this, Mushir al-Masri, a Hamas leader, said Israel was to blame for continuing to fire into Gaza, adding that his group had not agreed to a full cease-fire but only to a "lull" in fighting. "The Zionists are responsible for any aggression," he said.

Hamas had said in the last few days that it could agree to a year-long ceasefire if Israel ended its 18-month closure of the Gaza crossings.

Following today's attack, Palestinians living close to the area said heavy shooting could be heard and reported seeing Israeli attack helicopters hovering in the air. Shortly afterwards, an Israel warplane flew over the strip causing a sonic boom, apparently in warning to the population.

It raises fears that, despite the ceasefire, Hamas could be unable, or unwilling, to completely rein in more extreme groups who have continued to fire at Israeli forces. So far, however, the crude Qassam and Grad rocket attacks aimed at Israel's southern towns and cities - the reason given by Israel for launching its initial, bloody Gaza raids - have not been repeated.

Local experts believe that the fighting between Israel and Hamas caused some $2 billion in damage. The Israeli offensive killed 1,285 Palestinians. Thirteen Israelis, including three civilians, were also killed during the fighting.
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