September 28, 2005

Overnight, IDF helicopters fire missiles at a Fatah office and a PA security forces building in Gaza City, a PFLP office in Bureij r.c., a bridge in Bayt Hanun, several open fields and empty buildings in n. Gaza; the predawn air strikes on Gaza City cut electricity. In the West Bank, the IDF makes coordinated raids on at least 8 Islamic charitable institutions in and around Hebron and in Bethlehem, Qalqilya, Tulkarm, sealing the offices and confiscating computers, files, and office equipment. The IDF says that it is prepared to bombard civilian areas of Gaza if rocket fire does not cease. The PA denounces Israel for detaining at least 30 Hamas campaign officials and 17 candidates in upcoming municipal and legislative elections during the past wk. of arrest raids; Israel says it has detained 415 Palestinians since 9/23, including some 250 Hamas mbrs. Hamas affirms responsibility for the killing of an Israeli kidnapped on 9/21 and found nr. Ramallah on 9/26, claims that he was a Shin Bet officer. (AFP, AP, JAZ, WP 9/28; NYT, PCHR, WP, WT 9/29; WT 10/2; PCHR 10/6; MEI 10/12)