Israeli strikes hit Gaza school

2009-01-03 15:34

Gaza City - Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip killed at least four people on Saturday, including a Hamas military commander, as they destroyed a school and hit the port, Palestinian medics and witnesses said.

An overnight raid killed Mohammad al-Jammal, 40, who sources in Gaza said was a local commander of Hamas's armed wing.

The Israeli military said Jammal was responsible "for the entire rocket launching enterprise in all of Gaza City".

A raid on a car near the southern city of Khan Yunis killed two men, medics said. The identity of the victims was not immediately available.

East of Khan Yunis, a missile narrowly missed a car carrying militants who escaped unharmed, witnesses said.

Missile

A guard was killed when a missile struck and demolished a school in the northern town of Beit Lahiya, medics said.

The Israeli military said it had targeted "a college used as a base for firing a large number of rockets".

The establishment, called the American School, has no links to the United States and all of the staff and students were Palestinian.

Air strikes also hit Gaza's port without causing casualties, and warplanes and naval vessels targeted areas around Gaza City and in the north, witnesses said.

Israel unleashed "Operation Cast Lead" against Hamas on December 27 in response to rocket fire from its Gaza Strip stronghold.

At least 442 people have been killed, including 75 children, and another 2 290 wounded, according to Gaza medics.

- AFP