IDF kills gunman in Gaza for first time since truce

IDF kills gunman in Gaza for first time since truce

Givati force shoots, kills Palestinian armed with guns, grenades, north of
Karni crossing in northern Gaza Strip. Five Qassams fired at Israel Tuesday,
after five days of calm

Hanan Greenberg Published: 12.13.06, 20:42
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3339743,00.html

Restraint policy nearing its end? A Givati Brigade force killed an armed
terrorist near the security fence in Gaza Wednesday evening, north of the
Karni crossing in the northern Gaza Strip.

The troops opened fire at the Palestinian after they identified him as being
armed with guns and grenades. Wednesday's incident marks the first time the
IDF opened fire at gunmen since the ceasefire with the Palestinians was
declared.

Since the start of the ceasefire, the IDF has employed a cautious policy, and
aside from a few incidents in which troops fired at the lower bodies of
Palestinian suspects approaching the security fence, there have been no
unusual incidents.

The IDF has also refrained from preemptive strikes and targeting Qassam launch
sites.

IDF officials noted that the Wednesday evening strike was carried out because
forces assessed a real and present danger to the lives of the soldiers on the
Israeli side of the fence.

Against the backdrop of the ceasefire, military officials said that Hamas was
continuing to stockpile and develop weapons, and there were obvious signs the
group was advancing its capabilities, as Hizbullah did in south Lebanon.

No response?
On Tuesday, after five days of calm, five Qassam rockets were launched from
Gaza towards the Western Negev. The rockets landed in open fields near Sderot,
and caused no injuries or damage.

Sources in the Palestinian Authority said the Islamic Jihad was behind the
attack, but the organization refused to claim responsibility for the shooting.

According to the security forces, 23 Qassams landed in Israel since the truce
was announced.

Following Tuesday's attack, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that "it's getting
increasingly difficult not to respond." Speaking to reporters in Berlin, the
prime minister said that Israel was still holding back in order to prevent the
clashes from escalating further.