Israel strikes at Hamas militants

An Israeli helicopter fired two missiles at a car carrying militants from the Islamic Hamas group, wounding 11 people and raising fears of increased Middle East violence.

Last night’s attack followed a two-month hiatus that had led to reports that Israel and Hamas had reached an informal agreement – Hamas would halt attacks inside Israel, and the Israelis would stop targeting Hamas leaders. The agreement, if it existed, appeared in jeopardy after the air strike.

As recently as Friday, the commander of the Israeli military, Lt Gen Moshe Yaalon was quoted by an Israeli paper as saying that Hamas had stopped attacks inside Israel, crediting Israeli military strikes for cowing the group. Israeli security sources said at the same time that Israel would hold off on attacks against Hamas.

However, after last night’s air strike, Israel’s military issued a statement saying the targets were “senior Hamas terrorists … actively engaged in planning terror attacks”.

Witnesses said two people were in the car targeted by the two missiles, but neither hit the vehicle and the two men escaped. It was not clear if they were among the wounded. Hamas officials said one of them was a mid-level commander, Jamal Jara.

Witnesses said the Fiat was travelling toward the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood, a Hamas stronghold, when Apache helicopters opened fire.

Dr Jomma Saka of Gaza’s Shifa Hospital said 11 people were taken to the hospital. One was in a critical condition, another suffered moderate injuries, and the rest were lightly wounded, he said.

Hamas spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin said Israel would pay a heavy price for the attack. “These massacres and crimes prove that Israel is seeking violence and not looking for peace, security and stability,” he told Associated Press Television News.

During three years of fighting, Israel has frequently carried out similar air strikes aimed at Palestinian militants.

On Thursday, Israel mounted a similar air strike, aimed at the smaller of the two Islamic militant groups, Islamic Jihad, killing the group’s top commander, two other militants and two bystanders.