|
Gaza ministry bombed again
17/07/2006 08:31 - (SA)
|
|
|
 |
|
| An armed Palestinian man stands beneath the foreign ministry building in Gaza City after its previous strike. (David Guttenfelder, AP) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gaza City - Israel bombed the Palestinian foreign ministry building in Gaza City early on Monday, causing widespread destruction, pushing ahead with its three-week offensive in Gaza as troops clashed with militants in the northern part of the territory.
The huge blast from the second Israeli air strike on the ministry in less than a week collapsed a wing of the building and damaged dozens of houses. Black smoke covered the area as police vehicles and ambulances raced in, sirens blaring.
An Associated Press reporter on the scene saw clouds of smoke rising from the already damaged building after the Israeli plane dropped the bomb, which exploded with a deafening blast, shaking the whole area.
At least nine people in nearby houses were injured, rescue workers said.
'Anti-Israel operations'
The other four ministries in the same compound as the foreign ministry were also damaged in the explosion.
The ministry was empty at the time of the strike, 01:20.
The Israeli military confirmed it struck the Palestinian foreign ministry as part if its campaign against the militant Islamic Hamas, which is running the Palestinian government.
The Palestinian foreign minister is Mahmoud Zahar, a top Hamas leader. The military said Zahar used the office "to plan anti-Israel operations".
Israel bombed the same building on Thursday.
Missiles fired at militants
An hour earlier, Israeli aircraft fired at least five missiles at Palestinian militants during battles in northern Gaza early on Monday, Palestinian security officials said.
A Palestinian militant was killed in a fire fight with Israeli forces, hospital officials said, and four were wounded in overnight clashes. The military said there were exchanges of fire with militants.
Palestinian security officials said three of the missiles were aimed at militants firing rocket-propelled grenades near the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun, across from the Israeli town of Sderot, a frequent target of Palestinian rockets.
Another missile was aimed at a Hamas office in the Jebaliya refugee camp, setting it on fire, residents said. No one was hurt. Also, an aircraft fired a missile at a farm building where militants were thought to be hiding.
- AP
|
