Hamas militant killed as Israeli jets strike back against gunfire
A fighter from the Palestinian group Hamas was killed yesterday by an Israeli strike in the Gaza Strip, the enclave’s Health Ministry said.
Mohammed Hijaila was killed and another man was seriously wounded, said officials in the Hamas-controlled enclave.
They confirmed he was a member of the movement’s armed wing.
A security source said he was one of several Hamas fighters at an observation point east of Gaza City.
Israel confirmed the strikes. It claimed they were retaliation for gunfire.
The Hamas fighters were apparently shooting at an Israeli jet, which was carrying out strikes in Gaza in response to a bomb at Israel’s border fence on Wednesday.
“In response to the explosive device that was detonated against an engineering vehicle of the [army] yesterday, Israeli fighter jets struck military targets in the Gaza Strip,” the Israeli army said in a statement.
“After the strike, a terror cell fired with machine guns at an [Israeli] aircraft, without actually harming it.
“[Israeli] aircraft intercepted the terror cell.”
The machine gunfire also set off sirens in southern Israel, the army said.
It said the bomb was planted at the frontier under cover of mass Gaza protests in the area. No one was injured in the blast.
Demonstrations at the border fence between the Palestinian enclave and Israel since late last month have lead to deadly clashes.
At least 32 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed by Israeli forces since March 30.
Most of the Palestinians died during major protests along the border but others have been hit by tank fire.
Hamas has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007 and has fought three wars with Israel since then.
A Hamas security source said he was one of several Hamas fighters at an observation point east of Gaza City