Gaza cease fire rocked by latest killing of youths
'''April 9, 2005'''

The two month old truce between [[:w:Israel|Israel]] and the [[:w:Palestine|Palestinians]] is still intact after three teenagers were shot down earlier today while trying to smuggle firearms through the Egyptian border. Palestinians claim they saw the children attempting to fetch a football that had landed in a no-go zone near a refugee camp, in southern [[:w:Gaza|Gaza]]. Israeli army sources say the youths entered a forbidden area heavily guarded by Israeli forces near the border with [[:w:Egypt|Egypt]]. The teenagers were fired upon by soldiers after they ignored warning shots.

Militants responded by firing mortar shells at Jewish settlements in Gaza, although no one was injured.

The level of violence in the Gaza region had dropped significantly since the cease fire was agreed upon by both sides of the conflict. Islamic Jihad chief Mohammed al-Hindi said today: "So far, the Palestinian factions have not declared an end to the calm... but they are studying the issue anew because of continued Zionist aggression." Saeed Siyam, a Hamas leader in Gaza, told the ''Associated Press'': "The Palestinian people cannot stay silent in the face of this crime and it cannot pass without punishment."

"These kids were not playing soccer," said an anonymous Israeli army commander today. "You don't get there by accident."

== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050409/D89C3VKO0.html
|title=Israeli Troops Kill 3 Palestinian Teens
|author=Ibrahim Barzak
|pub=Associated Press
|date=April 9, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3070122,00.html
|title=IDF kills 3 boys in Gaza
|author=Ali Waked and Hanan Greenberg
|pub=Ynet News
|date=April 9, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4428351.stm
|title= Gaza violence jeopardises truce
|author=
|pub=BBC News
|date=April 9, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://reuters.myway.com/article/20050409/2005-04-09T165606Z_01_L09708172_RTRIDST_0_INTERNATIONAL-MIDEAST-TRUCE-DC.html
|title=Islamic Jihad Says Truce with Israel Still in Force
|author=
|pub=Reuters
|date=April 9, 2005}}
 
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[[Category:April 9, 2005]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Middle East]]
[[Category:Published]]
[[Category:Palestinian Islamic Jihad]]
'April 9, 2005'

The two month old truce between Israel and the Palestinians is still intact after three teenagers were shot down earlier today while trying to smuggle firearms through the Egyptian border. Palestinians claim they saw the children attempting to fetch a football that had landed in a no-go zone near a refugee camp, in southern Gaza. Israeli army sources say the youths entered a forbidden area heavily guarded by Israeli forces near the border with Egypt. The teenagers were fired upon by soldiers after they ignored warning shots.

Militants responded by firing mortar shells at Jewish settlements in Gaza, although no one was injured.

The level of violence in the Gaza region had dropped significantly since the cease fire was agreed upon by both sides of the conflict. Islamic Jihad chief Mohammed al-Hindi said today: "So far, the Palestinian factions have not declared an end to the calm... but they are studying the issue anew because of continued Zionist aggression." Saeed Siyam, a Hamas leader in Gaza, told the Associated Press: "The Palestinian people cannot stay silent in the face of this crime and it cannot pass without punishment."

"These kids were not playing soccer," said an anonymous Israeli army commander today. "You don't get there by accident."
April 9, 2005 Politics and conflicts Middle East Published Palestinian Islamic Jihad