PALESTINE - Nov 23 - A Grandmother Blows Herself Up Near Israeli Soldiers In Gaza.

In the first suicide bombing claimed by Hamas in nearly two years, a grandmother blows herself up near Israeli troops operating inside Gaza near the town of Beit Lahiya. The soldiers, who had warning, threw a stun grenade toward the woman, who then detonated her explosive belt. Two soldiers were slightly wounded. The woman, identified as Fatima Omar Mahmud al-Najar, died. Her age was given as both 57 and 64. She was a mother of 9 and a grandmother of more than 40, according to AFP. She was shown on television in a so- called martyr's video, wearing a white veil, a bright green Hamas bandana and holding an automatic rifle. The oldest daughter of the suicide bomber, Fathiya al-Najar, said that her son had been killed, her mother's house had been destroyed and that another grandson was in a wheelchair with an amputated leg. "She and I went to the mosque", she told reporters. "We were looking for martyrdom". The Hamas military wing had threatened to resume suicide bombings in response to the Israeli shelling of houses in Beit Hanun two weeks ago. The shelling killed 19 people, most of them women and children, as they slept after what the Israelis said was a malfunctioning radar on the artillery cannon. Israeli Channel 10 television reported Thursday that Israel might pay compensation to the victims; Israel has regularly refused to pay compensation in the past to Palestinian victims of Israeli artillery errors. Hamas was elected in January to lead the PA, and efforts continue to be made by the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah, to organise a unity government that would mean the resignation of the current Hamas administration. Hamas is considered a terrorist organisation by Israel, the US and the EU, and they have cut off funds to the Hamas-run PA. A new government would be designed to allow funding to resume, and an exiled Hamas political official, Khaled Meshal, who seems to direct the Hamas military wing, was in Cairo discussing the issue with the Egyptians. It was another bloody day in Gaza, with Israeli soldiers killing a commander of the militant group the Popular Resistance Committees in northern Gaza and a deputy. Faik Abu al-Kamsan, Mahmoud al- Basiyuni and a third man were killed when an Israeli missile hit their car in the Jabalya refugee camp. The Israeli Army said the men had been involved in firing Qassam rockets into Israel, and that there was a secondary explosion from the car. Two other Palestinians were reported to have died in armed clashes with Israeli troops. Another Palestinian, Muhammad Jarjawi, 20, was also killed. At least seven Israeli soldiers were slightly wounded Nov 23. Some 1,000 Israeli soldiers are in northern Gaza in operations designed to try to stop Qassam rockets. At least five fell in Israel on Nov 23, the Israeli Army said.