Elderly Killed In Failed Israeli Assassination

Elderly Killed, 26 Bystanders Injured in Israeli Failed Extra-judicial Assassination

PNA to Request an Emergency UN Security Council Session

An elderly Palestinian was killed and twenty-six more bystanders, including six children, were injured when Israeli helicopter gunships fired missiles at a car carrying Hamas activists in the Gaza Strip Tuesday, who escaped with moderate injuries, according to Palestinian medical sources.

The helicopters fired a salvo of missiles at the car during the evening rush hour in Jabalya refugee camp near Gaza City.

The blasts killed Hassan Hamlawi, 65, who was passing by and injured 26 people, including six children, medics said.

Among those hurt was an 8-year-old boy who was in critical condition, doctors said.

“There was enormous panic, women and children screaming and weeping,” said bystander Akram Lubad.

Shadi Tayan, who owns a bookstore in the area, said, “the people in the car jumped out and ran in two different directions” after one rocket hit near the front of the vehicle. After the men fled, two more missiles hit.

Hamas identified the targets as Wa’el E’ikailan and Khaled Massoud, both members of its armed wing, who escaped. Israeli public radio alleged that Massoud was an expert in building Qassam rockets.

Just minutes earlier, an Israeli gunboat fired two shells toward northern Gaza City, hitting an empty plot of land.

Following the attack, the Israeli occupation army said it will continue its policy of extra-judicial killings of the Palestinian activists.

“Our liquidation operations are going to continue against everyone implicated in terrorist attacks, in the preparation of attacks or in the firing of rockets,” the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AP.

“No terrorist should expect to benefit from the least impunity,” the official added. “We will continue to act when and where we judge useful, with all means necessary, until the Palestinian Authority decides to fight the terrorists as it is committed to doing.”

PNA to Request an Emergency UN Security Council Session

An advisor to Palestinian President Yasser Arafat Nabil Abu Rudeina, said the Israeli attacks had “taken the situation back to zero” and that the Palestinian leadership could now ask for an emergency debate at the UN Security Council on “the escalation.”

The latest attack came a day before Abbas was to hold a cabinet meeting in Gaza that a close aide said “will focus on the issue of security ... and what steps the government should take on the ground.”

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