Israel brings death to Rafah refugee camp

In an initial aerial attack, three Palestinians were killed and eight others injured when Israeli helicopter gunships fired three missiles early on Tuesday morning.

Palestinian medical sources confirmed the victims as Muhammad al-Nawajiha, Walid Abu Jazar and Muhammad al-Jundi. All three were in their 20s.

Israeli occupation forces claimed the victims were members of President Yasir Arafat's Fatah movement and had been armed when the missile was launched at them.

However, residents who dug their bodies out of the rubble said the three had posed no threat to anyone.

Second attack

In another attack shortly after dawn, helicopters killed another seven Palestinians in the Tal al-Sultan district near the camp.

The identities of the dead were not immediately known but all were men in their 20s and 30s.

An Israeli military official said: "An operation is underway in Rafah at the moment." He declined to give details, but added: "There will be arrests at first and, later on, demolitions of homes."

Israeli troops earlier sealed off Rafah from the rest of the occupied Gaza Strip in a search for resistance fighters and possible smuggling tunnels.

Terrible toll

The raids continued in spite of international criticism over concern that it will uproot thousands of Palestinians and destroy hundreds of homes.

The Tuesday missile attacks brought to eight the total number of Palestinians who have died since the onset of a major Israeli raid on the impoverished border town.

Three of the injured from the first air strike are said to be in a critical condition.

Since September 2000, 3045 Palestinian men, women and children and 981 Israelis have died as a result of the occupation.

Agencies

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/53C1AA0B-754B-4756-938E-04D344B38E68.htm