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Conflict in the Middle East: Israeli Missile Attacks Target Palestinian Police Stations

Aired May 10, 2001 - 10:11   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Meanwhile, we want to bring our viewers some breaking and developing news out of Gaza City, where Israelis are firing rockets on the Palestinian police headquarters.

For more on this situation, let's go to Jerusalem and Mike Hannah -- Mike, hello.

MIKE HANNA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn.

Well, a series of missile attacks on targets in Gaza City. We understand that among the targets, a police station, a separate compound containing a prison and offices of Palestinian intelligence organizations. And attacked, too, it is reported, offices of the Fatah political movement of Palestinian Authority leader Yasser Arafat.

These strikes under way at the moment. Hospital sources in Gaza tell CNN that at least 10 people have been injured at this particular point. The hospital sources say that the wounds are moderate and from Israeli military sources no official comment yet from the Israeli defense force. But Israeli military sources say that these attacks being carried out at present are in retaliation for the killing of two civilians early on in the course of the day.

But what happened early on in the course of the day where two Romanian contract workers were traveling in a car in the central Gaza Strip when what appears to be a roadside bomb exploded, killing the two civilians. This near the Kissufim crossing point between Israel and Gaza. Also in Gaza early on, clashes between Israelis and Palestinians leaving some seven Palestinians injured and ongoing violence in the course of the day. And also in the past 48 hours, the bodies of two 14-year-old Israeli youths found near the West Bank settlement where they lived. The bodies showed signs of having been stoned, battered to death. Police have arrested a number of Palestinians in a nearby village in connection with that killing.

So ongoing violence, ongoing conflict on various levels, the killing of Israeli teenagers, Israeli missile attacks on targets in Gaza City, an ongoing situation of crisis, an ongoing situation of conflict -- Daryn?

KAGAN: Mike, as this bombing takes place, any word on where Yasser Arafat is? Is he in Gaza City? HANNA: He is, indeed, at present. We do understand that these strikes are at -- the buildings that we understand have been hit are at a distance from the offices of Mr. Yasser Arafat. However, as we do understand, one of the targets, though, is the offices of Fatah. That's his political organization. That the Palestinian Authority leader is, at present, in Gaza City as missiles are striking various targets in that area.

KAGAN: Mike Hanna, thanks for monitoring that situation. We'll have more on that later in the morning from Jerusalem. Thank you so much.

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