Israeli special forces killed a senior Palestinian terrorist in the southern Gaza Strip.
Commandos mounted an incursion in the Gazan town of Khan Younis early Wednesday, surrounding the house of an Islamic Jihad leader. He refused to surrender and, coming out firing, was shot dead.
Islamic Jihad has fired several rocket salvoes into the Jewish state since Monday, when Gaza’s Hamas rulers imposed an informal ceasefire in the wake of a major Israeli ground offensive.
As the commandos wrapped up Wednesday’s operation, they came under fire from Hamas gunmen. Two of the assailants were killed. Palestinians also reported that a baby girl died in the crossfire.
There were no Israeli casualties.
