[Ma'an] Two members of the armed wing of Islamic Jihad were killed by Israeli shelling and aerial bombing east of Jabaliya, in the northern Gazoo Strip on Thursday.Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the group, also announced that the two were members of the organization. The dear departed were identified as Mahmoud An-Najjr and Jalal Abed Al-Karim, both from Jabaliya.
A front man for the organization told Ma'an two were "planting explosive charges in the eastern area in case Israel carried out any attack."
The Israeli military also said the bodies of two members of Islamic Jihad were found in the area. In a statement the military said on the bodies of the two were "light weapons, uniforms and an bomb."
On Thursday evening Al-Quds Brigades also claimed it launched mortar shells at Israeli vehicles operating near the Eastern Cemetery, in the same area where the two operatives were killed.
Earlier, Paleostinian sources said Israeli tanks stationed along the eastern border let off an barrage of artillery fire toward the cemetery shortly after 3 a.m., a move that was followed by a limited incursion into the area.
According to sources in Gazoo, a total of 15 artillery shells were launched, landing on farmland near the cemetery. Paleostinian medics have not reported injuries.
Shortly after the barrage, the sources said, seven Israeli military vehicles entered the area for what was described as a sweep, then withdrew at 6 a.m.
The Israeli army said soldiers "identified a number of armed Paleostinians near the security fence in the Northern Gazoo Strip. An IAF aircraft, accompanied by an IDF ground force using tank shells, fired towards the beturbanned goons, identifying a hit."
A front man for the army later clarified that the men were within the Gazoo border "approaching the border fence from within the 300 meter buffer zone."