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At least seven Palestinians were killed yesterday in three Israel Air Force strikes in the Gaza Strip that seemed to target the radical Army of Islam organization. Six militants were killed when the IAF attacked a blue Subaru in the southern Gaza Strip town of Khan Yunis. The strike destroyed the car and the Palestinian Health Ministry said all of its occupants were killed. Among the dead was Muataz Durmush, the second in command of Army of Islam, an organization that was involved in the 2006 kidnapping of Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit. The other casualties were also apparently members of the group. Muataz' half-brother Mumtaz is considered the commander of the Army of Islam.Another militant was killed in an attack on the central Gaza town of Deir el-Balah. The dead man was also identified as a member of the Army of Islam. Two other Palestinians were wounded in a strike just minutes earlier in the same town. Their identities were not immediately known. The Israel Defense Forces confirmed all three of the attacks and said it had targeted militants in vehicles, and that all three strikes were carried out in accordance with specific intelligence from the Shin Bet security service regarding militant activity. Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri condemned the air strikes as an attempt to ruin efforts to reach a cease-fire and vowed revenge. The Army of Islam was founded some two years ago by the Durmush clan and was initially a close partner of Hamas. It is associated with Al-Qaida and took part in attacks and the kidnappings of foreigners, including the abduction of BBC reporter Alan Johnston. Johnston's kidnapping represented a break in the partnership with Hamas, which was interested in releasing the BBC reporter, in part to show there was law and order in the Gaza Strip following the violent takeover by Hamas. In the kidnapping, Hamas gunman laid siege to the Durmush compound and eventually set fire to it, destroying the place. Both sides then reached an agreement on the release of Johnston and continued activity of the Army of Islam within the Gaza Strip. Gazan militants yesterday fired mortar shells and rockets at Israeli villages and towns near the Gaza Strip. No injuries nor damage was reported. Meanwhile, Defense Ministry official Amos Gilad left for Egypt for talks with Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman over the supposedly imminent truce between Israel and Hamas. Defense Minister Ehud Barak commented: "it's still too early to talk about a calm and when it begins, if it begins, it is difficult to ascertain how long it will last. We will judge it by its results but it is important to make use of every change to return the peace to Ashkelon, Sderot and other settlements near the Gaza Strip and resume talks over returning [abducted IDF soldier Gilad] Shalit."As in the days of Noah....
