Evening star., 1948-10-17
Israeli Assault
On Major Arab
Base Reported
Egypt Tells Of Killing
More Than 500 Jews
In RepuIsing Attack
By the Associated Press

TEL AVN, Israel, Oct. 16.-Re.
liable informants said tonight ar
Israeli motorized column with
air support has hammered tt
within a few miles of GAIA
principal Egyptian army base ir
Palestine.
In cairo, Egyptian government
officials said Egyptian troops had
killed more than 500 Jews in re-
pulsing an Israeli attack on their
positions in Southern Palestine.
The officials also said Egyptian
planes had intercepted two jew
ish fighter planes over the Ell
Arish area and forced both of
them down.
Egyptian antitank guns set
fire to all the attacking Jewish
tanks, the officials said. They
added that panic spread among
the Israeli forces who escaped.
leaving behind large quantities of
weapons and ammunition and
more than 500 dead,
Cease-Fire Rejected.
The Jewish report, winch lacked
official confirmation, was made as
Israel rejected a United Nations
cease-flre order and apparently
pushed a co-ordinated land and all
offensive aimed at smashing open a
road to settlements in the Negev
southern desert area.
While observers speculated whether
the truce between Israel and Egypt
had been broken wide open, ar
Israel army spokesman late tonight
said he believed fighting on the
southern front died down after
about So hours of activity.
However. Jerusalem was rocked
tonight by additional artillery, NOR
tar and machinegun fire. A Jewish
communique said IAN enemy at
tempt to advance toward Israeli DO.
sitions was defeated" there THU
morning.
Besides being the principal Egyp.
tian base, GAIA is the provisional
capital of the new Arab government
for Palestine sponsored by the Pales.
tine Arab Higher Committee. 1t i.
on the coast only 20 miles from
the Egyptian frontier.
Punitive Raid" Reported.
Preliminary reports said the Jew!
attacked the Egyptians supply lin,
between Faluja and Magdal, which
are on an East-West line reaching
almost to the coast north of GAIA.
The only official statement on the
attack from the Army said motor
lied column staged punitive
raid" on the Arab bastion of Irao
Ell Mashieh, 20 miles northeast OF
GAIA on the Magdal-Hebron road
This communiQue said the column
pounded into the town, shot it up
killed number of Egyptian soldiers
destroyed a dump and knocked oul
gun emplacementS.
I'VE lost three light tanks in the
operation before we retired" a
spokesman added
The raid followed heavy shelling
Of the nearby Jewish colony OF
Gath by Egyptian artillery located
at 1raq Ell Mashieh and Faluja. the
army said. Fauja was heavily
bombed. it added
L. n. Car Fired On.
United Nations officials in Haifa
said the U. N. cease-fire order was
issued to both Jews and Egyptians
The officials reported also that ar
Arab machinegun burst fired from
near the old Walled City struck &
white U. N car carrying United
States Col. George " Millet. senior
U. N. observer, and William c. Bur.
dett, acting United States oonsu
general in Jerusalem. Maj. Nicho.
las Andronoyitch, United State:
military attache, also was in the car
Three out of about 10 bullets STRUCK
the vehicle, which bore a U. N. flag
1t was the second narrow escape
&C. n ar rsCTryNyr -