An explosion in the northern Gaza Strip killed a Palestinian militant and critically wounded another, medical workers reported Nov. 15. The Popular Resistance Committees said an Israeli air-strike targeted a group of its militants as they approached the Israel-Gaza border near the town of Beit Hanoun. An Israeli army spokesman denied that any air-strike had been carried out. (Reuters, Nov. 15)

Meanwhile, director of UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) in Gaza, John Ging, charged that Israel's policies in the Strip are strengthening the stance of extremists in the territory. "The extremists claimed that the Israeli closure is not related to the rockets. We said that wasn't true, we said the illegal firing of Qassams must stop, that they have no justification," Ging said. "But the stance has been strengthened in recent months that the closure is political and not security-related. There were several months of tahadiyeh [cease-fire], but no easing at the crossings. This failure to ease the crossings was political." (Haaretz, Nov. 16)

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