Gaza blast kills militant; IDF denies responsibility

[Behind the Aegis]

A commander of the militant Popular Resistance Committees was killed on Friday in Gaza City, hospital officials said. The Israel Defense Forces denies responsibility for the incident.

Hospital officials identified the commander as Abu Yousef Abu Quka. The militant group he belonged to has been responsible for many rocket attacks against Israel.

Also Friday morning, Palestinians fired a Qassam rocket at a hothouse in the south, Israel Radio reported.

The car explosion followed a suicide bombing that killed four Israelis in the West Bank on Thursday, and came as Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz ordered security forces to step up targeted assassinations of militants responsible for Qassam and Katyusha rocket fire.

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