An Israeli military post, near the Kerem Shalom border crossing, used to bring cargo from Egypt into Gaza, came under an attack early Sunday by a group of Palestinian resistance fighters, including members of Hamas armed wing.
The Israeli army reported four Israeli casualties, and Reuters news agency said that two Israelis have been killed in the raid.
Fighters infiltrated the Israeli army post through a tunnel dug under the border fence, according to area residents.
The Popular Resistance Committee said it took the body of an Israeli soldier killed in the attack.
The Israeli army confirmed the attack on one of its positions near the Gaza Strip which was truck by an anti-tank missile Sunday morning.
According to Hamas armed wing, which confirmed it helped carry out the raid, the attack included bombs and automatic weapons fire on the post.
"Apparently an anti-tank missile hit the post," an army spokeswoman said.
PRC, a small Palestinian armed group, reported that three of its fighters were killed in the attack near the Kerem Shalom crossing, affirming that members of now the Ruling Party, Hamas, took part in the raid, which it described as the first successful infiltration into Israel since last summer’s withdrawal from Gaza.
Hamas said three of its members were also killed.
"Our fighters infiltrated the Israeli army military location near so called Kerem Shalom," said Abu Mujahid, another PRC spokesman.
"They succeeded in blowing up several Israeli vehicles and clashed with Israeli soldiers. The battle is still going on. The number of fighters is bigger than any time. We have some martyrs who fell during the battle."
"It was a very complicated and well-studied operation. The details are going to shock the Zionists. There are many surprises that are going to be announced about planning and about the process and about the battle itself."
Sunday attack was apparently carried out to retaliate last month’s raid on PRC leader Jamal Abu Samhadana, a former Fatah and Tanzim member, and number two on Israel's list of wanted terrorists.
Abu Samhadana was killed in the Israeli air raid along with at least three other PRC members.
Abu Samhadana was once quoted as saying that “Jews are the ‘only enemy’ and that he will ‘carry a rifle’ and ‘pull the trigger to defend the Palestinian people”.
The Israeli army reported four Israeli casualties, and Reuters news agency said that two Israelis have been killed in the raid.
Fighters infiltrated the Israeli army post through a tunnel dug under the border fence, according to area residents.
The Popular Resistance Committee said it took the body of an Israeli soldier killed in the attack.
The Israeli army confirmed the attack on one of its positions near the Gaza Strip which was truck by an anti-tank missile Sunday morning.
According to Hamas armed wing, which confirmed it helped carry out the raid, the attack included bombs and automatic weapons fire on the post.
"Apparently an anti-tank missile hit the post," an army spokeswoman said.
PRC, a small Palestinian armed group, reported that three of its fighters were killed in the attack near the Kerem Shalom crossing, affirming that members of now the Ruling Party, Hamas, took part in the raid, which it described as the first successful infiltration into Israel since last summer’s withdrawal from Gaza.
Hamas said three of its members were also killed.
"Our fighters infiltrated the Israeli army military location near so called Kerem Shalom," said Abu Mujahid, another PRC spokesman.
"They succeeded in blowing up several Israeli vehicles and clashed with Israeli soldiers. The battle is still going on. The number of fighters is bigger than any time. We have some martyrs who fell during the battle."
"It was a very complicated and well-studied operation. The details are going to shock the Zionists. There are many surprises that are going to be announced about planning and about the process and about the battle itself."
Sunday attack was apparently carried out to retaliate last month’s raid on PRC leader Jamal Abu Samhadana, a former Fatah and Tanzim member, and number two on Israel's list of wanted terrorists.
Abu Samhadana was killed in the Israeli air raid along with at least three other PRC members.
Abu Samhadana was once quoted as saying that “Jews are the ‘only enemy’ and that he will ‘carry a rifle’ and ‘pull the trigger to defend the Palestinian people”.
