After expressing "99%" confidence yesterday afternoon that "Def is dead," Israeli security officials began to acknowledge last night that Israel's #1 most-wanted - arch-terrorist Muhammed Def - was probably not killed in yesterday's IDF attack in Gaza. Def was apparently wounded moderately when combat helicopters scored direct missile hits on the car in which he was sitting. Seconds later, accomplices quickly spirited away the wounded murderer to yet another hideout. Two other passengers, including Def's aide, were killed in the attack, and some 25 passersby were reported wounded.
Government Minister Matan Vilnai (Labor), who served as the IDF's Southern Regional Commander several years ago, said, "Israel [only] fired missiles and did not drop a large bomb, in order to avoid hitting innocent bystanders." This was a less-than-veiled reference to the sharp criticism Israel was forced to absorb two months ago after it dropped a heavy bomb on the home of Salah Shehadeh, Def's predecessor as Hamas leader. The bomb killed him, as well as more than a dozen people around him, and Israel was put on the defensive for having used such a heavy-duty weapon.
Former GSS official Ehud Yatom said that if Def is still alive after yesterday's attempt, it's no one's fault: "The intelligence information was right on the money, and whoever saw pictures of the car afterwards understands that if he got out from there alive - only G-d knows how it happened." Hamas, which originally said that Def was not in the car at all, threatened to commit more terrorist attacks in Israeli cities in response to the attempted liquidation.
Def, 36, has long been wanted by Israel for his direct responsibility for the deaths of dozens of Israelis. He supervised the wave of terrorist bus-attacks in February-March 1996, planned the abduction and killing of the soldier Nachshon Wachsman in October 1994, and oversaw the murder of five yeshiva students in Atzmonah in March of this year.
Israeli paratroopers did succeed in killing another Hamas terrorist in Hevron this morning, however. The force arrived at his home with the purpose of arresting him, but he came out shooting; he was killed by the soldiers' return fire. The IDF also continued other anti-terrorist measures over the night, arresting seven terrorists and accomplices.
Government Minister Matan Vilnai (Labor), who served as the IDF's Southern Regional Commander several years ago, said, "Israel [only] fired missiles and did not drop a large bomb, in order to avoid hitting innocent bystanders." This was a less-than-veiled reference to the sharp criticism Israel was forced to absorb two months ago after it dropped a heavy bomb on the home of Salah Shehadeh, Def's predecessor as Hamas leader. The bomb killed him, as well as more than a dozen people around him, and Israel was put on the defensive for having used such a heavy-duty weapon.
Former GSS official Ehud Yatom said that if Def is still alive after yesterday's attempt, it's no one's fault: "The intelligence information was right on the money, and whoever saw pictures of the car afterwards understands that if he got out from there alive - only G-d knows how it happened." Hamas, which originally said that Def was not in the car at all, threatened to commit more terrorist attacks in Israeli cities in response to the attempted liquidation.
Def, 36, has long been wanted by Israel for his direct responsibility for the deaths of dozens of Israelis. He supervised the wave of terrorist bus-attacks in February-March 1996, planned the abduction and killing of the soldier Nachshon Wachsman in October 1994, and oversaw the murder of five yeshiva students in Atzmonah in March of this year.
Israeli paratroopers did succeed in killing another Hamas terrorist in Hevron this morning, however. The force arrived at his home with the purpose of arresting him, but he came out shooting; he was killed by the soldiers' return fire. The IDF also continued other anti-terrorist measures over the night, arresting seven terrorists and accomplices.