In Gaza, the IDF pulls out of Bayt Lahiya early in the morning. Later in the day, the IDF calls off air strikes on the Jabaliya r.c. homes of local PRC leader Muhammad Barud, a senior Hamas mbr. when, after warning residents to leave, 100s of Palestinians, including Palestinian Authority (PA) PM Ismail Haniyeh, arrive to act as human shields to protect the homes. Also in Gaza, an IDF drone fires on a car of Hamas mbrs. driving nr. Gaza City, killing a 75-yr.- old Palestinian bystander, wounding 2 Hamas mbrs., 7 civilians (including 4 children) in an apparent assassination attempt. Hamas mbrs. fire 8 rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, seriously wounding 1 Israeli, lightly wounding 2. In the West Bank, IDF undercover units make an arrest raid on Yatta nr. Hebron. The IDF also conducts arrest raids, house searches in Bayt Kahil nr. Hebron, in and around Nablus. (NYT, WP, WT 11/20; OCHA 11/22; PCHR 11/23)
Sunday, November 19, 2006