An Israeli Apache helicopter fired a missile into a crowd in the Gaza Strip town of Rafah, wounding at least 20 Palestinians, hospital officials said Thursday. Dr. Ali Mussa from A Najjar hospital said two people were in serious condition.
The Israeli army said the missile hit an open field in an attempt to move a group of armed Palestinian away from Israeli troops.
Helicopters were accompanying a force of some 25 Israeli tanks searching for tunnels used to smuggle weapons into Gaza Strip from Egypt, the army added.
Two occupation soldiers were lightly injured overnight Wednesday in separate incidents in the West Bank.
One soldier was wounded in Jenin, and the second in the village of Silwan, north of Ramallah.
A total of 12 Palestinians were arrested by Israeli forces in Jenin, Silwan, Nablus, Tulkarem and Bethlehem on Wednesday night.
**PHOTO CAPTION***
Palestinians carry a wounded boy after Israeli helicopter fired a missile at a building in the Rafah refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip, April 15, 2004. (REUTERS/ Mohammed Salem)