Another work accident!

The supposedly unbiased Palestinian Arab Ma'an newspaper has a curious article this morning:

Three Palestinians were killed during a military operation near the Israeli-Gaza border in the north of Gaza and another two during a separate mission in the south-central region.

A statement from Hamas confirmed the death of three activists from their Al-Qassam Brigades. A statement from the group said the three were on a mission near the Israeli town of Netiv Ha’asara on the northern border with the Gaza Strip. They were identified as Muhammad Ma’ruf, Ahmad Abu Al-Ma’azza and Raed Al-Masri.

The statement also detailed the death of two other Al-Qassam activists, who were performing a "mission of Jihad” east of Al-Qarara in the southern Gaza Strip. The two slain activists were named as Islam Jadallah and Muhammad Al-Halabi.

Does it sound like all five were killed by Israel? Both groups were on a Jihad mission when killed, so what else could it be?

Ma'an knows very well what happened. The first group was killed by the IDF while trying to plant explosives at the border fence, and the second group was killed when they accidentally blew themselves up.The Hamas statement is pretty clear to anyone who has ever read such statements. Ma'an is trying to pump up the number of "martyrs" to incite public opinion for Hamas and against Israel, and here was a convenient opportunity.

Another Hamas member was injured in a different "mysterious explosion" as well.

The 2008 PalArab self-death count is now at 224.