May 20, 2005

In Gaza, 3 Palestinians representing the AMB, Hamas, Islamic Jihad stage a joint attack on Kefar Darom settlement, firing rifles, 1 mortar, 6 grenades, causing damage but no injuries; the IDF fires back, killing 1 Hamas mbr., wounding a 2d, who escapes with the 3d assailant; the IDF says that PA security forces spotted the attackers but did not stop them, waiting until after the clash to retrieve the body of the dead man, turn his weapons over to the IDF. Israel pledges to respond to such attacks as it did today, “without escalating the fighting.” The IDF also conducts arrest raids in Mughraqa in central Gaza, nr. Bethlehem; patrols in Nablus, firing on residential areas; occupies a Palestinian home in Hebron as an observation post. Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba severely beat 3 Palestinian girls. (IMEMC 5/20; NYT 5/21; OCHA 5/25; PCHR 5/26)