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13 Palestinians Killed in Gaza, Including 7 Armed Men Who Used Human Shields

(Ha'aretz) Amos Harel and Arnon Regular - Thirteen Palestinians were killed and 9 IDF soldiers wounded Thursday during an IDF raid on the Sajayia neighborhood of Gaza City. At least seven of the Palestinians killed were armed, including three wanted men from Hamas - the Abu Hin brothers. The Shin Bet security service says the Abu Hins were involved in a number of suicide attacks in Gaza, as well as the firing of Kassam rockets from Gaza into Israel. Soldiers arrested six other wanted men in the neighborhood - including two who had already received their explosive belts from the Abu Hin brothers. The soldiers called on the wanted men to give themselves up, or at least to allow women and children to leave the house, but they refused, witnesses said. According to army sources, the men shouted: "Everyone here will die as martyrs, including the children!" The wanted men then began firing at the soldiers. After a gun battle that lasted several hours - in which the Palestinians used anti-tank rockets and bombs - the soldiers broke into the house. According to Brigadier General Gad Shamni, the commander of the IDF forces in Gaza, this was deemed necessary, despite being more dangerous, in order to remove the women and children. "[The wanted men] were holed up inside the house, using the women and children as human shields," said another senior officer. In a gunfight at close range on the first floor, two of the three wanted men were killed and two soldiers, a woman, and baby girl were injured. The soldiers then forcibly removed the rest of the women and children from the house. Tanks then shelled the house, destroying it and killing the third wanted man.
2003-04-02 00:00:00
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