GAZA, 13 December 2004 — Palestinian militants blew up an Israeli army post on the Gaza-Egypt border yesterday and at least four Israeli troops were killed in the deadliest attack since Yasser Arafat died a month ago.
Growing violence in Gaza has clouded new hopes for Middle East peace that followed Arafat’s death in a Paris hospital on Nov 11. and could complicate Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s plan to withdraw from the occupied territory.
Hamas and a group known as the Fatah Hawks, from the dominant Palestinian faction, claimed responsibility.
The Fatah group said it was avenging the “assassination” of Arafat, referring to rumors widespread among Palestinians that their veteran leader was poisoned — despite denials from French and Palestinian officials and no clinical evidence that he was.
The militants said they had burrowed for 600 meters to reach the Israeli post at the Rafah border and set off a 1,500 kg bomb. Militants opened fire and later detonated another large blast nearby.
Israeli media said two Palestinian bombers were believed to have died in the first explosion. At least 8 wounded were being treated by medics and would be evacuated to hospital by military helicopters.
A senior Israeli official said at least four soldiers died. “There are at least four dead and around 10 wounded,” Raanan Gissin, a spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, said.
The attack looked certain to fuel the growing cycle of violence in Gaza after a spell of relative calm that followed Arafat’s death.
Israel has vowed to respond to violence, but said that it could cut back on military operations if militant groups waging a 4-year-old uprising stop attacks on Israelis.
Israel agreed yesterday to free up to 200 Palestinian prisoners to show goodwill after Egypt freed a convicted Israeli spy and ahead of Jan 9. elections for Arafat’s successor. Israel has said it will do what it can to ensure a smooth vote.
Officials said the release of prisoners would be a gesture to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who freed convicted Israeli spy Azzam Azzam last week and plays a growing role in trying to promote peace talks.
Security sources said conciliatory Israeli moves before the Palestinian presidential election could boost the chances of Mahmoud Abbas, a former prime minister favored by Israel and the West as a moderate.
Welcomed by Western countries as a step towards peace, the Gaza plan took a major step at the weekend as the center-left opposition Labor party started talks with Sharon’s right-wing Likud on a government to champion withdrawal. Sharon needs Labor to rebuild his shattered government, avert early elections and overcome rightist rebels opposed to withdrawing from any captured land as a “reward for terror.”
Eight Palestinian schoolboys and one of their teachers were wounded yesterday after Israeli troops opened fire at their primary school in the southern Gaza Strip, Palestinian medical sources said.
