Palestinian fighters hit Israeli helicopter over Gaza, launch projectile at Sderot

Editorial Note: The following news reports are summaries from original sources. They may also include corrections of Arabic names and political terminology. Comments are in parentheses.

Palestinian fighters hit Israeli helicopter over Gaza

Date: 15 / 03 / 2008 Time: 10:46
Bethlehem – Ma'an - Agencies –

Palestinian fighters hit an Israeli military helicopter flying over northern Gaza on Friday evening, Israeli security officials said.

The helicopter returned to Israel safely. There were no casualties, Israeli sources said.

Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, claimed responsibility for the attack.

Abu Obaida, Al-Qassam Brigades spokesperson, said, "This afternoon our anti-aircraft crew opened fire at an Israeli aircraft over north Gaza, we know that it was hit," said Abu Obaida

Abu Obaida said that Hamas fighters would continue to open fire on Israeli aircraft that fly over the Gaza Strip “with the continuously improving ammunitions and the more accurate weapons the fighters obtain."

Al-Quds Brigades claim projectile attack on Sderot

Date: 15 / 03 / 2008 Time: 12:22
Gaza – Maan –

Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of Islamic jihad, said that they launched a homemade projectile at the Israeli border town of Sderot on Friday evening.

The Brigades also said that Israeli occupation forces launched a rocket at a group of Palestinians, who "escaped death."

The Al-Quds Brigades added that the attack on Sderot is a "natural response" to "Israel's crimes," particularly after the killing of four Palestinian leaders in the West Bank city of Bethlehem.

Israeli special forces (death squads) gunned down four Palestinians, three of them Islamic Jihad activists, on Wednesday, ending a momentary lull in Israeli-Palestinian violence.

IOFs admit helicopter hit over Gaza

[ 15/03/2008 - 08:27 AM ]

NAZARETH, (PIC)--

The Israeli special forces (IOF) acknowledged that one of their military helicopters was hit on Friday evening by heavy Palestinian machine guns in Gaza, which is considered a remarkable field development and the first of its kind in Palestine since 1967.

Hebrew TV channels reported the news, adding that the aircraft returned safely to its base with no casualties.

The Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, stated that its "air defense unit" managed to open fire from several points at an Israeli helicopter in the northern Gaza Strip.

Israeli media outlets quoted IOF sources as expressing concern over what happened to the helicopter, pointing out that Israeli security apparatuses are investigating the type of weapon used by the Palestinian resistance.

In another context, the IOF troops admitted that one Israeli settler was injured when Palestinian resistance fighters opened fire at Israel settlers north of Kissufim military post east of Khan Younis city.

For its part, the Qassam Brigades claimed responsibility for opening fire at a gathering of IOF jeeps and settlers' cars in an area adjacent to Khan Younis south of the Strip.

In a communiqué received by the PIC, the Brigades underlined that this operation was carried out in retaliation to the repeated Israeli attempts to infiltrate into Gaza and to the ongoing Israel crimes and siege.

In another context, the Israeli police announced on Friday that it is getting prepared for the possibility that the Gilo settlement could be targeted again by Palestinian fire from the Palestinian Beit Jala town, as happened during the Aqsa Intifada.

These preparations are underway in the wake of the martyrdom of four leaders of the Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad Movement, in the Bethlehem city, south of the West Bank.

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