Israel Kills Islamic Jihad Leader

Israeli troops launched a rocket attack on a house in the southern West Bank city of Al-Khalil, killing Mohamed Al-Sedr, Palestinian sources told IslamOnline.net.

The attack triggered large explosions in the building, after Israeli forces traded fire with what they called other "wanted" Islamic Jihad members, the sources added.

Israeli military sources earlier reported that a grenade had been hurled at the troops from the house, without causing any casualties.

The assassination triggered anger and threat of retaliation from the group leaders, who blamed Israel for any possible retaliatory action.

"It is a great crime and the Israeli army will pay a dear price for it in its soldiers and settlers," said Bassam al-Saadi, another leader of the Islamic Jihad in the West Bank.

He also charged the assassination endangered the three month Palestinian truce declared on June 29, adding that "Islamic Jihad will respond in the appropriate time and place, harshly".

"The Israeli army is increasing the likelihood the hudna (truce) will be destroyed, as it is clear the Israeli government is increasing its killing, detentions and attacks on Palestinian cities daily," he said.

For Khaled Al-Batsh, an Islamic Jihad leader in Gaza, the Thursday killing is a clear illustration that the hudna is "dying" and the group could quit the ceasefire in response.

Source: Islam Online & News Agencies