3 Dead in Israeli Helicopter Attack on Gaza City
Voice of America
VOA News
12 Jun 2003, 13:28 UTC
Palestinian medical sources say at least three Palestinians have been killed by an Israeli missile strike in Gaza City.
Witnesses say an Israeli helicopter gunship fired missiles at an unknown target in the city Thursday. Reuters news agency says another 15 people were wounded. The attack comes one day after a Palestinian suicide bomber killed 17 people in Jerusalem and two Israeli helicopter attacks in the Gaza Strip killed 10.
Israeli officials and Palestinian militant groups have been threatening more violence as U.S. officials try to save the "road map" plan for peace in the region.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon convened a meeting of his security cabinet Thursday, to consider how to respond to Wednesday's suicide bombing in Jerusalem. Israeli media quote Mr. Sharon as saying his government will continue to hunt down Palestinian militants, while making every effort to achieve peace with the Palestinian Authority.
Israel's Defense Minister Shaul Mofez met with the chiefs of all the security services late Wednesday and directed them to use all means necessary to fight Hamas, the militant group that claimed responsibility for the suicide attack.
Hamas says the bombing was to avenge Israel's attempt a day earlier to kill one of the group's senior officials, Abdel Aziz Rantisi. Hamas vowed more attacks if Israel retaliates. President Bush called on all nations to cut off the flow of money to organizations like Hamas that hinder progress in the peace process.
The "road map" peace plan calls for an end to violence and a series of reciprocal steps by Israelis and Palestinians leading to the creation of an independent Palestinian state by 2005.
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