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IDF: 2nd Hamas militant killed in Gaza

From Talal Abu-Rahmi
CNN

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GAZA CITY, Gaza (CNN) -- A Hamas militant was targeted and killed in an Israeli airstrike east of Gaza City Sunday morning while Israeli ground forces patrolled the area for tunnels and planted bombs, Israel Defense Forces and Palestinian sources said.

The militant -- identified as Tarek Heles -- was the second to be killed in a 24-hour span during a drawn-out battle in Gaza between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants.

The previous day, Waleed al-Harazi, a Hamas militant, was killed in Israeli airstrikes, Palestinian sources said. Thirteen others, including two journalists, were wounded.

An Israel Defense Forces spokeswoman said the airstrikes followed a report from troops on the ground that an unidentified vehicle was moving toward them. The IDF was investigating how the troops failed to recognize the vehicle was being used by the media.

Two journalists -- Reuters cameraman Fadl Shanaa and Sabbah Hemaida of Iranian World TV -- were seriously injured, along with a civilian, the Palestinian sources said. One of the missiles struck Shanaa's vehicle; it was not immediately known whether Hemaida was in the same vehicle.

"Saturday evening, while Israeli ground forces were positioning themselves as part of a regular, yet delicate operation in search of bombs and tunnels, a vehicle was moving in their sight," the IDF spokeswoman said.

Fearing they were in danger, as the area is known for militants and is dangerous, the troops reported the vehicle, and the air force responded and fired the missiles.

In a separate development, Israeli troops were carrying out raids in Gaza after entering the territory from four directions to the east with 20 tanks and several bulldozers, Palestinian sources said.

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