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Sunday, May 11, 2008

Hamas man explodes in the "playground of death"

Hamas' Al Qassam Brigades English site says:
As Al Aqsa Intifada against the occupation assault on the Gaza Strip continues, Ezzedeen Al-Qassam Brigades has its best men to be in the playground of death to defend their people from any attack by the enemy.. Today , Al-Qassam Brigades mourns the death of the Mujahid :

Osama Salah Al-Astal - 28-year-old - Khanyounis, south of Gaza Strip

The Mujahid was martyred in a resistance mission east of Al Qarara area to the east of Khanyounis city . Ezzedeen Al-Qassam Brigades mourns the death of the Mujahid, reaffirms the commitment and determination to continue the resistance against the belligerent occupation forces.
In normal English, the Jerusalem Post explains what happened:
A Hamas operative was killed on Sunday in an explosion along Gaza's fence with Israel, the group said.

The Islamic group's military wing says the member was killed, and another injured, during a "holy mission." Such language is used when explosives meant for an attack on Israel explode prematurely.

Israel's army said it was not operating in the area at the time of the explosion early Sunday.
Yet even though Hamas itself never says that the IDF killed him, Ma'an shamelessly reports otherwise:
Eyewitnesses told Ma'an's reporter that Al-Astal was on lookout duty east of the town of Al-Qarara, when he noticed Israeli special forces entering the area. He immediately hurled a grenade towards the Israelis, who fired back, killing him and wounding three other fighters.
Showing yet again the trustworthiness of both Ma'an and Palestinian Arab "eyewitnesses."

Palestine Today (Arabic) is a bit more honest:
When suspected Israeli special forces sneak into the region then to the explosion was a bomb in his possession which led to his martyrdom and wounding three others resistors.


Our 2008 PalArab self-death count rises to 69. (There have been a couple of ambiguous West Bank deaths recently as well - a dead woman found outside a mosque, and a man who died while in Palestinian Arab custody, but not enough evidence of foul play in either case.)