Israeli Terrorists Lob 2 Shells Into Crowd, Killing 11 Wounding 100

Last Updated: Thursday, 6 March, 2003, 05:43 GMT

Israel moves into Gaza after blast


Israeli troops moved into Gaza in an overnight operation, with at least 11 reported dead and dozens injured.

The operation came a day after a powerful bomb blast ripped through a bus in the northern Israeli city of Haifa, killing at least 15 people and wounding another 40.

Israeli police said it was caused by a Palestinian suicide bomber, who also died.

Israel's security cabinet decided to close off the West Bank and Gaza Strip until further notice, banning all Palestinians from entering Israel, as one of the steps in response to the attack.

Late on Wednesday, Israel launched a raid on the northern Gaza Strip, with tanks backed by helicopter gunships moving deep into the Jabaliya refugee camp next to Gaza City.


The Haifa bomb destroyed the bus
At least 11 Palestinians were killed during the operation, according to local witnesses, and dozens more injured.

Local officials said Israeli fired two tank shells at a crowd of Palestinians, who were watching a fire being extinguished in a building in Jabaliya - with local officials telling the BBC that over 100 were wounded.

The Israeli army refused to comment on details of the operation, but confirmed that it had taken place and said troops had now moved out.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon formed a new right-wing coalition government only a few days ago, which includes ultra-nationalist parties opposed to a Palestinian state.

Condemned

The Haifa bus was reportedly packed with students from a nearby university when the blast happened at about 1415 local time (1215 GMT) on Wednesday.

It is the first bomb attack in Israel since January, when 22 people were killed in a double suicide attack in Tel Aviv.

HAIFA TARGETED
4 Aug, 2002, 9 killed and 50 wounded on bus travelling from Haifa to Safed
10 April, 2002, 8 killed, 22 injured in suicide attack on bus from Haifa to Jerusalem
31 March, 2002, 15 killed, more than 40 wounded in restaurant blast
9 Dec, 2001 Bomber explodes powerful bomb near bus stop at Checkpoint Junction
2 Dec, 2001: 15 killed, 40 injured after suicide bus blast
Click here for pictures of the latest Haifa attack

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest attack, but Israeli Government spokesman Raanan Gissin said the blast showed the Palestinian Authority had taken no action to stop terrorism.

The Palestinian Authority condemned the attack, and its cabinet minister Saeb Erekat rejected the Israeli "finger pointing that the Palestinian Authority is responsible".

US President George W Bush condemned the attack "in the strongest terms" as did a number of other countries, including Britain and Russia.

They urged Israelis and Palestinians to break their cycle of violence and resume peace talks.