Israeli Missiles Hit Gaza, One Dead - Witnesses

March 5

GAZA, Gaza Strip (Reuters) - Israeli helicopters fired several missiles into a Palestinian refugee camp in the Gaza Strip early Thursday and at least one person was killed, witnesses said.

The attack followed a Palestinian suicide bombing in the Israeli city of Haifa on Wednesday that killed at least 15 people. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's security cabinet had met on Wednesday evening to consider a response.

Palestinian witnesses said the Israeli helicopter gunships fired at least five missiles into the vast Jabalya refugee quarter, a center of Islamic militants, just north of Gaza City.

They said Mohammed al Byari, a 60-year-old Jabalya resident, was killed by shrapnel from exploding missiles and at least one other person was wounded.

Jabalya residents told Reuters by telephone that undercover Israeli special forces had besieged the family home of a Hamas militant shortly before the missiles struck.

Israeli military sources confirmed an army operation against Jabalya and said three missiles had been launched.

Palestinian witnesses said a column of Israeli tanks had also entered the desert strip from Israel and encircled Jabalya, an impoverished, crumbling urban district of some 70,000 people.

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