Israeli Missiles Destroy Home of Hamas Militant in Gaza
An Israeli F-16 warplane fired missiles at the home of a Palestinian militant in the Gaza Strip town of Khan Yunis today after he escaped from the building. The missiles destroyed the three-story structure and slightly wounded several people.

The attack set off pandemonium at a nearby Palestinian security building, where a suspected Palestinian informer was standing trial, and he was shot dead by relatives of men he was said to have betrayed to the Israeli security forces.

The attack also damaged four nearby buildings, and at least five people were wounded by flying debris, residents reported.

The Israeli Army said that the building had served as a bomb factory and meeting place for Hamas militants, and that explosives made on the premises were used in attacks on soldiers in recent weeks.

The airstrike caused panic in the security building, where Abdel Hay Sababi was being tried on suspicion of informing on two Hamas leaders killed with four other people in an Israeli helicopter attack in Rafah on June 24.

Fearing that their building could be struck next, police guards ran out of the court, and one or more relatives of the slain Hamas leaders then shot and killed Mr. Sababi, according to reports from the scene. Khaled al-Kidra, the prosecutor, said the relatives thought that the airstrike was an effort to help Mr. Sababi escape.

Violence against suspected informers has increased in response to Israeli killings of dozens of suspected militants during the 21-month-old Palestinian uprising.
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/15/international/middleeast/15MIDE.html