The IDF forces reached the center of the terrorist-stronghold neighborhood in Jenin last night, after heavy and costly house-to-house fighting. Seven soldiers have been killed in the battles there, including three yesterday. In Shechem, too, the army is advancing towards the center of the Kasbah marketplace; one of the ten terrorists killed in the battles there today was a senior terrorist leader of the Al-Aqsa Brigades.
IDF forces blew up a booby-trapped five-story building in Shechem this afternoon, after first ensuring that no one was inside. The soldiers had planned to enter the building and comb it for terrorists and arms, but when an explosion was heard, the decision was made to destroy it. Engineering forces laced the building with hundreds of kilograms of explosives and blew it up. Elsewhere in Shechem, house-to-house fighting continued, leading to the capture of half the Kasba area and the killing of 30 armed terrorists in the past two days. Two IDF soldiers were lightly wounded last night during the continuing battles in Ramallah. In Kalkilye, a carbomb was found and safely blown up. In Jenin, six soldiers were injured, including two in moderate condition. The army is also operating in other areas, where it has arrested terrorists.
Arutz-7\'s Kobi Finkler reports that the army has changed its tactics in Jenin, in light of the costly house-to-house fighting there that exacted the lives of seven soldiers. Heavy combat helicopter barrages accompanied the fighting yesterday and today.
The Israeli siege around the Church of the Nativity continues, as 200 armed Palestinian Moslem terrorists continue to hold some 80 priests hostages inside. Col. Marcel Aviv, who commands the IDF Brigade in Bethlehem and environs, explained that Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Tanzim terrorists are inside the building, and emphasized that Israeli forces did not fire at church personnel. Aviv said that his forces communicated \"with both the Palestinian political echelon and the heads of the terrorist infrastructures, in order to attempt to get the people out. They were offered medical assistance, medicines, doctors and food, but they refused.\"
Senior army officers said today that some 200 armed terrorists have been killed since the onset of Operation Protective Wall, and that 70 \"heavily-wanted fugitives\" have been caught. Over 2,000 rifles have been collected from the Moslem fighters. Some 13 soldiers have been killed, and 130 were wounded, including 20 in serious condition.
Sharon said, \"Israel\'s policy of refraining from harming civilians lengthens the amount of time we must remain there, and sometimes leads to Israeli casualties.\"
IDF forces blew up a booby-trapped five-story building in Shechem this afternoon, after first ensuring that no one was inside. The soldiers had planned to enter the building and comb it for terrorists and arms, but when an explosion was heard, the decision was made to destroy it. Engineering forces laced the building with hundreds of kilograms of explosives and blew it up. Elsewhere in Shechem, house-to-house fighting continued, leading to the capture of half the Kasba area and the killing of 30 armed terrorists in the past two days. Two IDF soldiers were lightly wounded last night during the continuing battles in Ramallah. In Kalkilye, a carbomb was found and safely blown up. In Jenin, six soldiers were injured, including two in moderate condition. The army is also operating in other areas, where it has arrested terrorists.
Arutz-7\'s Kobi Finkler reports that the army has changed its tactics in Jenin, in light of the costly house-to-house fighting there that exacted the lives of seven soldiers. Heavy combat helicopter barrages accompanied the fighting yesterday and today.
The Israeli siege around the Church of the Nativity continues, as 200 armed Palestinian Moslem terrorists continue to hold some 80 priests hostages inside. Col. Marcel Aviv, who commands the IDF Brigade in Bethlehem and environs, explained that Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Tanzim terrorists are inside the building, and emphasized that Israeli forces did not fire at church personnel. Aviv said that his forces communicated \"with both the Palestinian political echelon and the heads of the terrorist infrastructures, in order to attempt to get the people out. They were offered medical assistance, medicines, doctors and food, but they refused.\"
Senior army officers said today that some 200 armed terrorists have been killed since the onset of Operation Protective Wall, and that 70 \"heavily-wanted fugitives\" have been caught. Over 2,000 rifles have been collected from the Moslem fighters. Some 13 soldiers have been killed, and 130 were wounded, including 20 in serious condition.
Sharon said, \"Israel\'s policy of refraining from harming civilians lengthens the amount of time we must remain there, and sometimes leads to Israeli casualties.\"