January 8th, 2009
Summary of Today’s Events as off 00:00
During today’s three-hour suspension, designed to facilitate a humanitarian aid corridor for the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, four Grad rockets and two Qassam rockets were launched, in addition to the fourteen other rockets and mortars launched throughout the day.
Overall, Israel transferred 89 humanitarian aid trucks to Gaza via the Kerem Shalom Crossing. 315,000 liters of fuel, alongside 143 tons of natural gas were transferred through the Nahal Oz terminal, and 223 foreign nationals were permitted entry to Israel following requests from their respective governments.
IDF forces, including infantry, tanks, combat engineers, artillery, and intelligence, continue to operate throughout the Gaza Strip with the ongoing support of the Israel Air Force and the Israeli Navy.
In one incident this afternoon, a paratrooper force operating in the northern Gaza Strip uncovered an explosives lab and in it large amounts of explosives connected to two tunnels. The force neutralized the tunnels in a controlled detonation.
In another incident, infantry forces uncovered a tunnel containing various weapons including RPG missiles, AK-47 assault rifles, detonators for explosive charges, grenades, and knives.
In a joint IDF and ISA operation, IDF forces targeted and hit Islamic Jihad operative Tarek Abu Amshev, 22, from Beit Hanoun, who was involved in planting explosive devices against IDF forces and in the daily launching of rockets against Sderot and other communities in the region. Another operative, Mohamed Najar, 26, from Jebalya, was also hit in the attack.
IAF aircraft attacked more than 40 sites, including:
* Three weapons storehouses, some of which were located in houses of Hamas operatives.
* One tunnel used by Hamas operatives.
* Seven rocket launching sites
* Various sites pinpointed by ground forces
Two IDF officers and one soldier were killed during operations today, one soldier was severely wounded, one soldier was moderately wounded and 11 soldiers were lightly wounded.
One officer from the Kfir infantry brigade was killed and another soldier lightly injured when an anti-tank missile hit them in the central Gaza Strip. A Golani Brigade officer was also killed and another soldier lightly wounded during an exchange of fire in the Northern Gaza Strip. Another soldier, from an armored brigade, was killed in a separate gunfight, also in the Northern Gaza strip.
In another incident, an IDF soldier was severely wounded, another soldier was moderately wounded and five soldiers were lightly wounded when a rocket hit the Eshkol region.Three soldiers were wounded in other incidents.
The IDF will continue operating against all who are involved in terrorist activity.
