Militants claim they attacked Israeli tanks, show what they say are Israeli soldiers' IDs

(8 Jul 2006)
AP TELEVISION CANNOT INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE CLAIMS
Beit Lahiya , northern Gaza Strip
1. Wide shot of news conference
2. Masked militants holding what they claim are identity cards of Israeli soldiers
3. Close up of masked militant holding card
4. Various of militants showing cards
5. Various of militants showing what they claim are pieces of Israeli tanks
6. Journalists
7. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades Militant identifying himself as Abu Obeideh
"We assure and warn the Zionist enemy again not to commit any foolish acts in the Gaza Strip or to invade any area, and we affirm that the Palestinian resistance and the Izzedine Al Qassam brigades has prepared many surprises for the Zionist enemy, if they invade any part of the Gaza Strip"
8. End shot of militants at news conference
STORYLINE
Masked Hamas militants from the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades told a news conference in Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza Strip on Saturday that they successfully attacked Israeli tanks.
The organisation, believed to be Hamas' military wing, showed journalists what they claimed were identity cards purportedly belonging to Israeli soldiers, and that they found the cards in the ongoing battles on the northern part of Gaza Strip in recent days.
One of the militants, who identified himself as Abu Obeideh, warned Israel not to invade "any part" of the Gaza Strip.
"We affirm that the Palestinian resistance and the Izzedine Alqassam brigades has prepared many surprises for the Zionist enemy if they invade any part of the Gaza Strip" he said.
AP Television cannot independently verify the authenticity of the militants' claim.
On Saturday, the Hamas government called for a cease-fire to end its violent two-week standoff with Israel, but Israel rejected it because it stopped short of offering to release an Israeli soldier held by Hamas militants.
Israel's two-week military campaign in Gaza, its broadest since ending its 38-year occupation last year, has put the Hamas government under growing pressure.

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