Two bombers killed in blast

2004-05-28 10:25

Jerusalem - Two suicide bombers in a jeep blew up as they tried to ram a bus carrying some 40 Israeli workers near the Rafah border crossing with Egypt in the southern Gaza Strip on Friday, wounding one Israeli soldier, officials said.

"A white jeep with two people aboard tried to ram the bus transporting some 40 employees to the (Rafah) terminal and blew up. The jeep was totally wrecked," said Anat Moore for the Israeli ports and airports administration.

"The employees of the administration are unharmed," she added. "An officer in the escorting military vehicle was slightly hurt."

Israeli military sources also confirmed one soldier wounded and the two attackers killed.

Moore said that before the blast the front seat passenger in the jeep had leaned out of the window and fired at the bus but caused no casualties.

Traffic had resumed on Wednesday through the Rafah terminal, the only crossing point between Egypt and the Gaza Strip.

The terminal, which is manned by Israelis on the Palestinian side, had been virtually closed since Israeli forces launched a massive raid into Rafah on May 18, killing 43 Palestinians and demolishing dozens of homes.

The raid was aimed at eliminating militants and destroying tunnels allegedly used to smuggle weapons across from Egypt.

- AFP