At least seven Palestinians, including three children, were killed Thursday afternoon and 25 people were hurt when an Israeli attack helicopter fired missles at a car in Gaza City, Palestinian sources said.
Palestinian sources identified the target of the attack as senior Hamas activist, Yasser Taha. His wife and two children were with him in the car and they were also killed, the sources said. A baby bottle was among the items pulled from the burning car.
The car was driving in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood of Gaza City, when it was hit by three missiles, witnesses said. The car was engulfed by flames. As bystanders rushed to the rescue, a fourth missile hit.
Earlier, Hamas said it has ordered "all military cells" to take immediate action and carry out more attacks on Israelis. The group also urged foreigners to leave Israel for their own safety.
On Wednesday, a Hamas bomber from the West Bank city of Hebron blew himself up on a Jerusalem bus, killing 16 people and wounding more than 100. Hamas said in its Thursday's statement that more attacks would follow.
The bus bombing "is the beginning of a new series of attacks and part of a bill the Zionists must pay," the Hamas statement said.
"We call upon all foreigners to evacuate the Zionist entity immediately in order to protect their lives," Hamas said. "We call on all military cells to act immediately and act like an earthquake to blow up the Zionist entity and tear it to pieces."
Also on Thursday, Palestinian gunners fired home-made rockets from the northern Gaza Strip towards an Israeli town, Israel's Army Radio reproted.
On Wednesday, 10 Palestinians were killed in two separate Israeli strikes on Gaza City. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
