February 15, 2003

The IDF raids Tulkarm, arresting Islamic Jihad cmdr. Mahmud Qunaydi, his dep. Fuad Sawalha; demolishes 4 Palestinian home in Rafah, 3 in Bayt Lahia; fires on residential areas of Rafah. Outside Dugit settlement, Magach 7-Kfir tank triggers a large bomb planted by Hamas, destroying the tank, killing 4 IDF soldiers; in response, the IDF demolishes 2 Palestinian apartment buildings, several greenhouses, nearby. (HA 2/14; HA 2/15; NYT, WP, WT 2/16; MM 2/17; PCHR 2/20; MEI 2/21)