Seven Israelis were lightly injured Friday morning, when two Palestinians threw a hand grenade near a bank in the Old City of Be'er Sheva, located in southern Israel.
One of the assailants was apprehended by local police, who started to search for the second one.
"Two terrorists ... threw a bomb or planted a bomb. One was captured and the other escaped and we are searching for him," Yossi Koppel, the southern district police commander told Israel Radio.
An eyewitness told the Radio that, "We heard an explosion and ran to the area. We saw someone running away. We caught one of the terrorists, and started to beat him. A second terrorist managed to escape."
Four of the injured were reported to be suffering from light injuries, and three were suffering from shock.
Gaza Attack
Meanwhile, the Israeli army continued to prepare Friday for a possible military operation in Gaza, massing forces on the border of the Strip, after Sharon cabinet approved what senior security sources call "a focused, time-limited operation," but they hinted it could be called off at the last minute after American pressure on both sides.
Thousands of reservists were called up Thursday under emergency orders. However, according to the Israeli media, a dispute has broken out within the army about the
need of the operation and that criticism could lead to a smaller-scale action.
Military sources told Haaretz daily there might be an incursion to the edges of the cities and refugee camps in the Strip that would concentrate on Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Most of the infrastructure of those both movements is in the northern section of the Strip.
A senior military source has told the Israeli newspaper that the Gaza operation is controversial in the army. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
