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New Israeli Missile Strike Kills Hamas Leader

Voice of America

VOA News
12 Jun 2003, 14:57 UTC

Palestinian medical sources say a leader of the militant group Hamas is among seven people killed by a new Israeli missile strike Thursday, in Gaza City.

Witnesses say Israeli helicopter gunships fired several missiles at a car carrying Hamas activists. The car was destroyed, and one of the dead was identfied as Yasser Taha, a leader of Hamas' military wing. The medical sources say a three-year-old girl was also among those killed. About 25 people were wounded in the attack.

Israeli officials and Palestinian militants had both threatened more violence after a day of deadly attacks Wednesday that killed a total of 27 people from both sides. Hamas claimed responsibility for the deadliest attack, a suicide bombing aboard a bus in jerusalem that killed the bomber and 16 Israelis. Later, Israel launched two helicopter gunships strikes in the Gaza Strip, killing 10 Palestinians.

The spike in violence has left U.S. officials scrambling to find ways to save the internationally-backed "road map" plan for peace in the region. The 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.

Speaking Thursday in Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell urged nations to denounce groups like Hamas and cut off their funding. His remarks echo a similar call from President Bush Wednesday. Earlier, Hamas urged foreigners to leave Israel, saying it had ordered all of its military cells to immediately carry out more attacks on Israelis.

Hamas says Wednesday's suicide bombing was meant to avenge an Israeli attempt to kill one of the group's senior officials, Abdel Aziz Rantisi. Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said his government will continue to hunt down Palestinian militants, while making every effort to achieve peace with the Palestinian Authority.

Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.