Bomb blast at Gaza police chief's house

A large remote-control bomb went off early today in a house in Gaza City shortly after the Gaza security chief left, witnesses said. No one was hurt, but there was considerable damage.

The wife of Gaza security chief Ghazi Jabali lives in the house in the Rimal neighbourhood of Gaza City where the bomb went off. Witnesses found a 25 yard wire leading from the scene of the blast, attached to a switch.

The blast shook the neighbourhood at 2.30am local time (12.30am Irish time) Ambulances and fire trucks rushed to the scene.

It was not immediately known who planted the bomb. Jabali was not immediately available for comment. The Israeli military said it had no role in the blast, and Palestinian police investigators did not name Israel among the possible suspects. They said all avenues were being checked.

The Israeli military has been conducting a campaign against leaders of the Islamic militant group Hamas over the past several weeks, killing the founder of the group and his successor in missile strikes.

Yesterday, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said that though the Palestinian Authority has 30,000 police in Gaza, it is not working to stop Hamas attacks because the Palestinian Authority is involved in terrorism.

But Israeli forces have not used such remote-control bombs in Gaza in the past. There have been cases of such devices being used by rival Palestinian groups against each other, and last October, a similar bomb blew up a US Embassy convoy outside Gaza City, killing three US guards.

Internal rivalries have turned violent in Gaza in recent weeks, as groups vie for power ahead of a possible Israeli pullout. Mr Sharon has proposed a “unilateral disengagement” plan that would include evacuation of Israeli settlements and military posts in the Gaza Strip.

On February 5, a gunfight broke out at Mr Jabali’s headquarters in Gaza City between his police and backers of rival Gaza strongman Mohammed Dahlan. One police officer was killed and 10 wounded.