A Palestinian terrorist penetrated the southern Gaza Strip settlement of Atzmona late Thursday night and threw grenades and opened fire on students at a pre-military training academy. Five youths were killed in the attack and 23 others were injured, five of them seriously.

The victims of the attack, all 18-years-of age, were identified as:

	Asher Marcus, of Jerusalem.
	Tal Kurtzvail, of Bnei Brak.
	Ariel Zana, of Jerusalem.
	Eran Picard, of Jerusalem.
	Arik Robiak, of Beit El.

According to media reports, the terrorist cut through the fence surrounding Atzmona and ran towards a small building where academy students were studying Torah. Eyewitnesses said he starting firing at random, and threw at least five grenades into the room.

"I was at home and I heard an explosion, apparently from a grenade... and then I heard a long burst of gunshots," Atzmona resident Yisha Zmiri told Army Radio."

Loudspeakers issued warnings to residents to remain in their homes. Israel Radio reported that the terrorist exchanged fire with soldiers and settlers for about twenty minutes before he was killed. Security forces searched the area, but it was unclear if the terrorist had accomplices in the attack.

The Hamas's Izzadin al-Qassam military brigade claimed responsibility for the Atzmona attack. The terrorist was identified as a 19-year-old resident of Gaza City.

Fourteen wounded in Ariel bombing
A suicide bomber detonated himself in the entrance of an Ariel hotel Thursday afternoon, killing himself and wounding ten Israelis, one seriously. The attack took place on the lower level of the Eshel Hashomron Hotel. The terrorist reportedly first approached the Hypernetto supermarket nearby, saw a security guard outside and headed towards the hotel instead. He entered the hotel lobby and walked around, and detonated his explosives when he realized that he was drawing attention to himself.

Ariel resident Yitzhak Meir told Israel Radio that there was extensive damage to the hotel lobby, as well as to the building's second floor. Security forces reportedly had specific warnings of an impending terrorist attack in the Ariel area, Israel Radio reported. It was unclear why no security guard was stationed at the hotel's entrance.

Both the Fatah's al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) claimed responsibility for the Ariel attack, according to media reports. The terrorist as identified as Shadi Nasar, 24, from the village of Madama, southwest of Nablus.

Earlier Thursday a Palestinian carrying a bag carrying an explosive device attempted to enter the popular Caffit coffee house in Jerusalem's German Colony, but customers and a waiter overpowered him after noticing electrical wiring protruding from the bag.

Waiter Shlomi Harel said the Palestinian raised his suspicion when he asked for a glass of water. "I started to talk to him in Arabic. He took out a blue identity card from his pocket, and again asked for some water. I pushed him outside and neutralized the wires in the bag. He didn't try to resist. He was in complete shock and was sweating profusely."

An eyewitness said the terrorist was smiling the entire time, even after police arrived to arrest him, the Jerusalem Post reported. Police reportedly stripped the terrorist but found no additional explosives.

Police sappers transported the bomb outside Jerusalem city limits and detonated it in a controlled explosion, ynet reported. Police sources said the bomb contained a large amount of explosives.

© 2001-2002 Koret Communications Ltd. All rights reserved. Terms of Use.