GAZA, 20 April 2008 — Hamas activists rammed bomb-laden vehicles into a key Israeli border crossing with the Gaza Strip yesterday, killing at least three of the militants and wounding 13 Israeli soldiers.
The bombing at Kerem Shalom was the third major Palestinian attack in less than two weeks on Israeli border crossings used to transfer limited supplies of humanitarian goods and fuel to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, home to 1.5 million people.
Two other Palestinians, including a Hamas fighter and a civilian, were killed in separate Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip yesterday, the Islamist group said.
Israeli Gen. Yoav Galant described the attack at Kerem Shalom as the most sophisticated since Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005. Israel, which still controls Gaza’s air space, coastal waters and goods crossings, has accused Iran and Syria of providing Hamas fighters with advanced training and equipment.
An Israeli Army spokeswoman said two jeeps exploded in the attack, which was launched under cover of heavy fog. She said troops captured a third armored vehicle used in the attack.
Hamas’ armed wing, the Ezz El-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, said a total of four vehicles packed with explosives attacked Kerem Shalom and that three of them exploded. Fighters fired mortar bombs and automatic weapons as a diversion.
Qassam Brigades spokesman Abu Ubaida said the attack marked the start of a campaign by the group to “break the siege.” He said Israel “should be ready for more surprises” that may be “stronger and more painful” than the attack at Kerem Shalom.
Hamas said three of its fighters were killed in the attack. The Israeli Army spokeswoman said two Hamas members were killed when their vehicles exploded and two others were killed in an exchange of fire with Israeli soldiers. “The attacker approached the crossing through the heavy early morning mist. The bombing was probably intended as part of a wider attack,” the army spokeswoman said.
She said the fighters may have been trying to abduct Israeli soldiers. In June 2006, Gaza militants abducted an Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, near the Kerem Shalom crossing.
