Palestinian suicide truck packed with 4.5 tons explosives – most powerful ever – blows up outside Gaza-Israel crossing

Sounds like the friendly Palestinians are making another bid to get more food. Of course, destroying the roads and killing the truck drivers delivering the food and supplies are not always that great ways of showing how peaceful one is, but, well, that IS the Muslim way. Kill first, then make demands, then feel insulted, then demand peace. The Muslim way.

DEBKAfile - Palestinian suicide truck packed with 4.5 tons explosives – most powerful ever – blows up outside Gaza-Israel crossing: "Palestinian suicide truck packed with 4.5 tons explosives – most powerful ever – blows up outside Gaza-Israel crossing

May 22, 2008, 1:27 PM (GMT+02:00)

DEBKAfile’s counter-terror sources report that the truck bomb containing 4.5 tons of explosives was the most powerful ever used against Israel - even in the darkest days of the Palestinian terrorist campaign. The explosion occurred early Thursday, May 22, on the Gaza side of the border, 50 meters short of the Erez crossing. It caused no Israeli casualties, but wrecked the border terminal, blasted a big hole in the border wall and shattered windows in Israel buildings. The bang was heard kilometers away. The truck bomb was followed by a group of Palestinian gunmen in a jeep.

DEBKAfile’s military sources report Israeli forces quickly roped off a large sector outside northern Gaza as a closed military zone, including Netiv Ha’asara and up to Kibbutz Yad Mordecai, to search for possible infiltrators. A second bomb vehicle heading out of northern Gaza was struck by the Israeli air force.

Mortar fire was directed simultaneously at the Sufa crossing to the south. The Palestinians kept up a hail of gunfire, which was returned by Israeli soldiers.

Jihad Islami and a Fatah faction claimed the attacks. Israel briefly closed the Sufa crossing through which the Gaza population has been supplied daily with basic commodities.

Overnight, Hamas announced that the truce talks taking place in Egypt for an informal ceasefire with Israel in the Gaza Strip had ended without results. The Hamas negotiators have returned to Damascus.

During the week, armed Palestinian buffeted the border fence in an effort to force Israel to climb down on its conditions for a ceasefire and demand the abducted soldier Gilead Shalit’s release be incorporated in the deal.

Hamas demanded the release of 350 jailed terrorists “with blood on their hands”, whereas Israel offered 72. Hamas sought the immediate end of the Gaza blockade, while Israel agreed to open the crossings after the truce took hold."