December 19, 2004

The IDF fires on 4 Palestinians allegedly preparing to fire a mortar in s. Gaza, killing 1 Palestinian, while the other 3 escape; fires on Palestinian civilians surveying the damage fr. Operation Orange Iron in Khan Yunis, wounding a 14-yr.-old Palestinian; shells, fires missiles fr. helicopters at Bayt Lahiya; fires on residential areas of Khan Yunis; sends troops into Tulkarm r.c., opens fire on stone-throwing youths who confront them, wounding 1; demolishes 2 Palestinian homes in Araba. Palestinians fire 3 Qassam rockets at Sederot, causing light damage, injuring 3 Israeli. In response, IDF helicopters fire rockets at Jabaliya r.c. (HA 12/19; VOP 12/19 in WNC 12/21; NYT, XIN 12/20; PCHR 12/23)