12 Killed, 130 Wounded in Israeli F-16 Warplanes Strike

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, July 23, 2002

12 Killed, 130 Wounded in Israeli F-16 Warplanes Strike

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Israel Air Strike Kills At Least 12

Israeli F-16 warplanes attacked on Monday night an overcrowded neighborhood in Gaza City, killing at least 11 people, including a Hamas official, and wounding 60 others, Palestinian medical sources and eyewitnesses said.

Eyewitnesses said among the killed was Sheikh Salah Shehada, leader of Hamas' faction of Ezzdine Al Qassam Brigade in the West Bank and Gaza, his wife and three kids.

Shehada has been wanted by the Israeli security forces for several years, and Israel accused him of being a mastermind for a series of suicide bombing attacks against Israel.

Hamas spokesman Abdel Aziz Ranteesi confirmed that Shehada was among the people killed, adding that Hamas would "certainly revengehis death, and Hamas would reach every house in Israel."

Witnesses said the attack was carried out at the neighborhood atmidnight while children and women were sleeping.

They said that an F-16 warplane flew over Gaza City, and then suddenly they heard two explosions in the eastern neighborhood of the city, adding that black smoke and dusts were seen coming out from the area.

Chief of emergency at Shiffa Hospital in the city Moaweya Hassanein said most of the dead have not been identified yet, adding that majority of them are residents of the neighborhood.

Dozens of residents rushed to the area and began to take the survivals from under the rubbles.

Palestinian Satellite Television reported that F-16 warplanes fired two missiles at the area, adding that seven houses were badlydamaged in addition to a carpentry that was totally burned.

It said that that ambulances rushed to the area to rescue the survivals under the rubbles, where firefighters were also called toput off the fire.

Palestinian security officials said that the kind of missiles fired at the area are missiles only used in wars between two armies, adding that the Israeli airstrike on Gaza Monday night can never be justified.

Deputy chief of Palestinian preventive security in Gaza Colonel Samir Mashharawi said that "what happened is a real massacre and a condemned big war crime carried out by a war criminal called Ariel Sharon against innocent civilians."

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