JERUSALEM – Israeli raids early today killed one of the Palestinians’ highest-ranking leaders, officials confirmed.
Maj. Gen. Ahmed Mefraj, 55, a top security commander, was shot dead during a sweep into villages east of Khan Younis.
Mefraj was a member of the Fatah Revolutionary Council. Fourteen other Palestinians were killed in raids in Gaza and Bethlehem this morning.
“His martyrdom is a great loss for Palestinians,” said Maj. Gen. Abdel-Razek al-Majaydeh, the Palestinian public-security chief in Gaza.
Elsewhere, authorities said a suspected Palestinian terrorist infiltrated the Atzmona settlement in the Gaza Strip and killed five Israeli students before he was shot dead.
The gunman also wounded at least 23 people. Hamas militants claimed responsibility.
Despite the continuing violence, President Bush said he would send his Mideast envoy Anthony Zinni back to the region next week to seek a cease-fire.
Both sides welcomed Zinni’s return as another chance to reduce tensions – even as the bloody fighting stretched through last night and into today.
Israeli tanks and troops moved on Gaza and Bethlehem this morning. At one point, the firefight ignited munitions stored in a police building, setting off explosions that could be heard all over Gaza City.
Palestinians said two ambulance workers were killed when Israeli forces fired on their vehicles during a sweep of the Tulkarem refugee camp. Four other ambulance workers were wounded in attacks on Red Crescent and U.N. vehicles.
Israeli officials charged that some ambulances were smuggling terrorists and arms.