Sunday, March 02, 2008

Two Israeli soldiers killed, 6 injured in heavy battles in Gaza.

From DEBKAfile, March 1, 2008, 11:30 PM (GMT+02:00):


Israel self-propelled gun in N. Gaza
The Israeli fatalities are identified as 1st Sgt. Doron Asulin, 20 from Beersheba and 1st Sgt. Eran Dan Gur, 20, from Jerusalem.

... Israel’s Givati Brigade troops engaged in heavy fighting with Hamas armed forces in the northern Gaza Strip’s Sejaya and Jebalya areas Saturday March 1 in the IDF’s first extended challenge to Hamas' protracted missile and rocket offensive on Ashkelon and Sderot regions.
Tanks, self-propelled guns, F-16 fighter jets and helicopters took part in the combat. Two Israeli soldiers were killed by Palestinian fire, six injured. ....

A Palestinian truck loaded with 160 missiles, rockets and mortar shells was blown up in Jebalya by an Israeli air strike Saturday night. A large store of war materiel, including missiles was struck earlier.

Throughout the battles, the Palestinians continued firing scores of missiles and rockets – more than 50 by evening. Three waves of extended Katyusha rockets hit Ashkelon, under attack for the third day running. One set the shopping center on fire after two crashed into houses, injuring 6 people, two of them children. There were dozens of shock victims....

...Sderot and its kibbutz and moshav neighbors sustained 50 Qassam missiles. One exploded harmlessly in an empty nursery school. Six shock victims were hospitalized.
A Grad rocket reached Kfar Silver which is situated between Ashkelon and the big port town of Ashdod to the north. This town, 27 km north of Gaza, and just within range of the larger and more powerful Palestinian rockets, is preparing for attacks to start. Twelve alert systems are ready. ....the 120mm Grad, which is based on the Soviet Katyusha artillery rocket, has a maximum range of 30 km and packs 15-20 kg. of explosives.

The education minister is drawing up plans to evacuate children from towns and villages in direct line of fire from Gaza.

The IDF’s Homeland Command has installed Red Color code alerts in 8 locations around Ashkelon: Kfar Silver, Berachiya, Bat Hadar, Beit Shikma, Mavki’im, Talmei Yosef, Gaya and Mishan.

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