Hamas Militants Clash with Palestinian Troops

[ckramer]

Militants took control of a Gaza neighbourhood Friday after a shootout with Palestinian troops left two teenagers dead, and Israeli airstrikes killed five militants in a flare-up of violence that threatened an already tattered truce.

Palestinian security forces, under pressure to stop attacks against Israel, went on high alert. Israeli troops massed at two makeshift camps outside the volatile coastal strip.

After militants launched at least 53 rockets and mortars against Israeli targets between Thursday afternoon and Friday afternoon, Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz summoned top generals to a meeting to decide on a response.

link

[lvx35]

1. Ooh, hints of a Palestinian authority!

haven't seen anything like that in a while.

[Behind the Aegis]

2. Better late than never. n/t

[Monkie]

3. five civilians, including a child, were also wounded in the attack

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/0CA2740E-F9FC-4AD4-B9F9-77308B929168.htm

"Seven Palestinians, believed to be members of the resistance movement, Hamas, have been killed by Israel in what is seen as resumption of Israel's policy of "targeted killings".
According to witnesses, Israeli helicopter gunships fired missiles at a vehicle in Gaza on Friday, completely destroying it and scattering body parts of the occupants.
Witnesses said Israeli Apache helicopter gunships had fired three missiles at the car in Gaza.
~snip~
While five were confirmed dead, five civilians, including a child, were also wounded in the attack, medical sources told Aljazeera"

its enough to be "believed to be" terrorists cause there isnt going to be a trial afterwards is there?
and so what if there is some accidental collateral damage,cause we are not like the terrorists,and well they are only a-rabs,probably terrorist sympathisers,and that child would have grown up to be to be suicide bomber anyway?
what if that was YOUR town??

nooo..they hate us for our freedom..just keep on repeating it..
you dont see THIS side in the globe and mail do you??

[eyl]

4. I don't know if it's available online

- I'll post it if I find it - but on the evening news, they showed a video of the strike. The way that vehicle detonated, it was definitely carrying explosive ordnance (either that, or it was using C4 gas). And actually, I haven't seen anyone deny that the six dead were all Hamas members.

Now, I'm sure we could have arrested them if necessary. All that would have been required was to call up a brigade or two and send it into Gaza, and take them. Of course, even if it was successful (that is, assuming they didn't get away in the time it takes to organize it), the Palestinian casualties would probably be in the dozens, but hey, there would be a trial, right?

IOW, the police paradigm is not, used alone, effective in a war such as this.

EDIT - it seems Hamas admits they were members:

The Islamic group Hamas said air strikes in the West Bank and Gaza that killed five* gunmen would "open the doors of hell" on Israel.
:
An Israeli air strike killed a Hamas gunman in the West Bank and shot dead his comrade after he escaped and fired at troops from a hideout. A second raid killed four militants in a car in Gaza, which Hamas officials said carried makeshift rockets.

*Seems to be a typo, since the article later counts six dead. I'll add that so far, no-one seems to confirm Al-Jazeera's claim of casualties.

[pelsar]

5. sorry monkie.....

i hardly feel bad for killing members of an organization that has/is/about to send rockets to kill me and my family and friends....

and unless you have a penchant for having far more killed, the idea of sending in soldiers to "arrest them, is either out of complete ignorence of what the means, niaviety or perhaps you dont know much about urban combat....its violent with lots of split second decisions resulting in lots of killing

As mentioned when an IDF force goes in to gaza to "arrest" someone, the amount killed during the ensusing gun battles would be in multiples of tens...and yes that would include the children used as runners and lookouts as well as the onlookers (please dont try to refute the above...some of us have been....)

and since shooting rockets and mortors at us is probably "illegal" or whatever, we probably have the right to self defense, and since its pretty obviouse that the PA either cant or will not control their compatriots, I dont believe i have to die because of their own incompetence.

in short....dont shoot at us, and we wont kill the shooters and since bombs are not perfect, its reasonable to assume that people nearby will also die...of course we could have used a 1,000kg bomb as opposed to modified missles with a lesser payload...but then who notices such details.

and finally since the hamas doesnt wear uniforms (actually they do many times....IDF uniforms!) nor do their vehicles are properly ID as hamas military vehicles, its is they that are endagering the population not us....it is they that are attempting to hold civilians hostage by hiding behind civilian clothes and vehicles...i'm sure thats also "illegal"...but its doesnt work..they are hoping that enough civilian deaths will cause an international outcry so that in the end they can keep on shooting at us and we wont be able to shoot back....doesnt work that way..someone shoots at me, I shoot back, even if hes hiding behind his mother.....

of course I am assuming that the basic tenant of self defense is applicable in this situation...since the alternative is me sitting around and getting blown up....