Saturday, June 9, 2007

Four Islamic Jihad and AMB gunmen in an armored jeep marked “TV” and “press, carrying RPGs and supported by mortar fire, break through the Gaza border fence nr. the Kissufim crossing, engage IDF troops for 2 hrs. in what Islamic Jihad describes as an attempt to capture a 2d IDF soldier (Cpl. Gilad Shalit was captured in 6/06 and is still being held); 1 Palestinian is killed. The IDF continues operations in Shuka, bulldozing 33 d. of Palestinian land, exchanging fire with local Hamas mbrs., leaving 1 Hamas mbr. dead. Palestinians detonate a roadside bomb nr. an IDF tank n. of Bayt Hanun, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Hebron and in Jenin town and r.c., Tulkarm. Jewish settlers fr. Hebron severely beat a Palestinian teenager nr. the Ibrahimi Mosque/Tomb of the Patriarchs; an ambulance sent to the scene is barred by the IDF, stoned by settlers; the IDF arrests the teenager. Separately in Hebron, Jewish settlers fr. Ramat Yishai severely beat a 9-yr.-old Palestinian. In Rafah, Fatah, Hamas mbrs. exchange heavy fire (including mortars, RPGs) for several hrs., leaving 2 Palestinians dead, 38 injured. In Bayt Hanun, unidentified gunmen shoot, wound an NSF mbr. (IFM, NYT, WP, WT 6/10; NYT 6/11; OCHA 6/13; PCHR 6/14)

The Lebanese army escalates attacks on FI, sending special forces and armored personnel carriers into areas around Nahr al-Barid r.c. to root out FI mbrs., increasing tank, artillery shelling of FI positions inside the camp to the highest level to date. FI replies with mortar and sniper fire. The army reports 6 soldiers killed, more than 40 wounded during the day. FI reports 4 mbrs. killed, 6 wounded. At least 60 FI mbrs., 49 soldiers, 20 civilians are thought to have been killed since fighting began on 5/20, but figures for casualties inside the camp cannot be confirmed. (WP, WT 6/10)