~*~ The Chanukah War ~*~
IAF Kills Terrorists Who Fired Missiles at Be'er Sheva, Ofakim
Hussam Hamdan, one of the two terrorist commanders killed in the strike, was in charge of launching the recent Grad-type Katyusha rocket attacks on the Negev.

by Hana Levi Julian, Arutz Sheva
January 4, 2009

Israel Air Force fighter pilots killed two senior Hamas terrorists on Sunday in a targeted air strike at midday in the southern Gaza town of Khan Yunis - very near the former Jewish town of N'vei Dekalim.

Hussam Hamdan, one of the two terrorist commanders killed in the strike, was in charge of launching the recent Grad-type Katyusha rocket attacks on the Negev cities of Be'er Sheva and Ofakim.

The second terrorist, Muhammad Hilo, was head of the Hamas Special Forces in Khan Yunis.

No rockets have struck Be'er Sheva or Ofakim since ground troops entered Gaza on Saturday night in phase two of Operation Cast Lead.

The IDF has killed some 50 terrorists, according to local sources in Gaza, as well as an undetermined number of civilians who were unavoidably caught in the crossfire. IDF troops are reportedly conducting house-to-house searches for wanted terrorists and smugglers' tunnels, and fighting is reported to be heavy.

As of midday Sunday, 21 Israeli soldiers were hospitalized with moderate to severe injuries. Some of the injuries are related to the cold conditions. The wounded include an officer and a soldier who are both listed in critical condition. Their families have been notified.