Israeli soldier wounded in Gaza suicide bombing

An Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldier was lightly wounded on Monday afternoon in a suicide bombing in the town of Beit Hanun in northern Gaza Strip, Israel's Ha'aretz reported on its website.

An IDF spokesman confirmed to Xinhua that the soldier had been evacuated to hospital in Ashkelon for treatment.

The suicide bomber is a woman who wore an explosive device, approached the IDF checkpoint in the town and blew herself up nearby, the spokesman said, adding that as Israeli soldiers called on her to stop, she detonated the explosive.

The woman is affiliated with the al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad (Holy War), which group then claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing attack.

Earlier, an Israel Air Force aircraft fired a missile into the town of Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza, striking a group of youths on their way to school, killing a 16-year-old and wounding at least seven civilians, six of them were children, said the report.

On Wednesday morning, a large-scale Israeli operation "Autumn Clouds" began with dozens of Israeli army tanks, armored vehicles, bulldozers and fighting aircrafts entering into Gaza.

Meanwhile, Israeli officials declared that the operation is aiming at halting Qassam rocket fire on southern Israel. At least 49 Palestinians and an IDF soldier have been killed since the start of the operation.

Israeli military sources believe the operation is likely to last several more days.

On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that IDF has no intention of staying in Gaza or occupying Gaza. However, the military operation will be over only after the rocket attacks and terror activities are considerably reduced, he noted.

Source: Xinhua