Violence Erupts in Territories: Children in School Targets, Too

As Israelis focused on tensions along the Lebanese border, violence escalated this week in the administered territories.

In the Gaza Strip, Israeli troops killed a wanted terrorist and shot dead two Palestinians during a violent demonstration called to protest his death.

The turbulence erupted in the town of Khan Yunis, where Israeli soldiers on Tuesday night shot and killed Nihad Muamar as he prepared to throw a hand grenade. Muamar is a member of the Red Eagle terror group, which is affiliated with the hard-line Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

The following morning, masked men used loudspeakers to summon residents to a confrontation with Israeli troops as a start to three days of mourning for the “sacred hero.”

Hundreds of residents waving Palestinian flags took to the streets, hurling bottles and rocks at Israeli soldiers. Israeli fire killed two persons before the demonstration dispersed.

Israeli border police at about the same time apprehended another wanted terrorist in the Gaza Strip: Wajih Mahmoud Mohammed Ziyyad, 21, of Rafah, a member of the Hawks terror group, which is affiliated with the Fatah faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization. He is suspected of murdering Palestinians accused of cooperating with the Israeli authorities.

Tension continued this week as well in the West Bank town of Hebron.

Israel posted army guards on a rooftop overlooking a kindergarten in the Jewish Quarter, where attempts were made earlier in the week to injure children.

A 4-year-old girl sustained a slight eye injury when a bottle of acid was thrown at the kindergarten. Settlers say it was the latest in a series of attempts to harm the children with weapons of stones, iron bars, bottles of acid and empty bottles.

After Israeli troops set up the lookout post, settlers withdrew armed guards they had posted on the rooftops of neighboring Arab houses.