IOF troops admit helicopter hit over Gaza

Source: Agencies, 15-03-2008
NAZARETH- The IOF troops acknowledged that one of their military helicopters was hit on Friday evening by heavy Palestinian machine guns in Gaza, which is considered a remarkable field development and the first of its kind in Palestine since 1967. Hebrew TV channels reported the news, adding that the aircraft returned safely to its base with no casualties.
The Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, stated that its "air defense unit" managed to open fire from several points at an "Israeli" helicopter in the northern Gaza Strip.
"Israeli" media outlets quoted IOF sources as expressing concern over what happened to the helicopter, pointing out that "Israeli" security apparatuses are investigating the type of weapon used by the Palestinian resistance.
Hamas leader Mahmoud Al-Zahar spoke in front of hundreds of supporters in the Jabalya refugee camp, in a rally commemorating 126 Palestinians martyred in 'Israeli' missile strikes during the last months.
"Whoever thinks that resistance in the West Bank will be weakened is living an illusion."
"The program of the resistance in the West Bank will escalate and escalate, if they (Government of Abbas) will not stop the aggression and security collaboration, the fire of the resistance will eat then up as they were eaten in Gaza," Al-Zahar told the crowd
In another context, the IOF troops admitted that one "Israeli" settler was injured when Palestinian resistance fighters opened fire at "Israel" settlers north of Kissufim military post east of Khan Younis city.
For its part, the Qassam Brigades claimed responsibility for opening fire at a gathering of IOF jeeps and settlers' cars in an area adjacent to Khan Younis south of the Strip.
In a communiqué received by the PIC, the Brigades underlined that this operation was carried out in retaliation to the repeated "Israeli" attempts to infiltrate into Gaza and to the ongoing "Israel" crimes and siege.
However, the "Israeli" police announced on Friday that it is getting prepared for the possibility that the Gilo settlement could be targeted again by Palestinian fire from the Palestinian Beit Jala town, as happened during the Aqsa Intifada.
These preparations are underway in the wake of the martyrdom of four leaders of the Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad Movement, in the Bethlehem city, south of the West Bank.
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