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American Morning
Israeli Forces Returned to Gaza Last Night
Aired March 06, 2003 - 09:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Israeli forces returned to Gaza last night, less than a day of a suicide bombing killed 15 people in the northern city of Haifa. The military says it met some strong resistance.
For the very latest, let's go to Jerusalem. Our bureau chief Mike Hanna standing by there.
Good morning, Mike.
MIKE HANNA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Paula.
In the early hours of the morning hours here, local time, Israeli forces once again moved into Gaza, this time they direct their attentions to the refugee camp of Jabalia (ph), in the north of Gaza. Eleven Palestinian were killed during the Israeli operation. Well over 100 were wounded. Israel says its action was aimed at residents of the Hamas movement. It says its forced encountered great resistance from the Palestinians.
Palestinian insist that among the dead, at least eight people were killed when a tank shell fell in their midst. Palestinian eyewitnesses say that these people were unarmed bystanders who were watching civil defense units put out a fire. Israel says that it fired tank shells only at armed groups, and says that many of the Palestinian casualties were caused when a Palestinian explosive device detonated within a building.
This Israeli operation follows a suicide bombing in the northern Israeli town of Haifa in which 15 Israelis were killed. This is the first such attack within Israel in two months, but Israel says that the Gaza operation not as a result or in retaliation for the Haifa attack. It says it's part of its ongoing efforts to prevent such attacks from happening in Israel.
Palestinians contend these Israeli military operations serve only to encourage those who want to carry out attacks against Israeli civilians -- Paula.
ZAHN: Mike, finally, what's the latest on any claims of responsibility for this latest bus attack?
HANNA: Well, very interesting. No formal claim of responsibility for that suicide bomb attack in Haifa. The man who carried out the attack has been identified as an activist from the Hamas movement, but unusually so, there has not been a formal claim of responsibility from any of the Palestinian militant groups. This a very rare occurrence, where most of these groups are vying in order to claim responsibility for such attacks, believing that it increases their support among Palestinians -- Paula.
ZAHN: Thanks, Mike. Mike Hanna, reporting from Jerusalem this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired March 6, 2003 - 09:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Israeli forces returned to Gaza last night, less than a day of a suicide bombing killed 15 people in the northern city of Haifa. The military says it met some strong resistance.
For the very latest, let's go to Jerusalem. Our bureau chief Mike Hanna standing by there.
Good morning, Mike.
MIKE HANNA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Paula.
In the early hours of the morning hours here, local time, Israeli forces once again moved into Gaza, this time they direct their attentions to the refugee camp of Jabalia (ph), in the north of Gaza. Eleven Palestinian were killed during the Israeli operation. Well over 100 were wounded. Israel says its action was aimed at residents of the Hamas movement. It says its forced encountered great resistance from the Palestinians.
Palestinian insist that among the dead, at least eight people were killed when a tank shell fell in their midst. Palestinian eyewitnesses say that these people were unarmed bystanders who were watching civil defense units put out a fire. Israel says that it fired tank shells only at armed groups, and says that many of the Palestinian casualties were caused when a Palestinian explosive device detonated within a building.
This Israeli operation follows a suicide bombing in the northern Israeli town of Haifa in which 15 Israelis were killed. This is the first such attack within Israel in two months, but Israel says that the Gaza operation not as a result or in retaliation for the Haifa attack. It says it's part of its ongoing efforts to prevent such attacks from happening in Israel.
Palestinians contend these Israeli military operations serve only to encourage those who want to carry out attacks against Israeli civilians -- Paula.
ZAHN: Mike, finally, what's the latest on any claims of responsibility for this latest bus attack?
HANNA: Well, very interesting. No formal claim of responsibility for that suicide bomb attack in Haifa. The man who carried out the attack has been identified as an activist from the Hamas movement, but unusually so, there has not been a formal claim of responsibility from any of the Palestinian militant groups. This a very rare occurrence, where most of these groups are vying in order to claim responsibility for such attacks, believing that it increases their support among Palestinians -- Paula.
ZAHN: Thanks, Mike. Mike Hanna, reporting from Jerusalem this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
