IOF choppers fire missiles at northern Gaza

[ 21/12/2008 - 10:41 AM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

Israeli occupation army choppers fired two missiles at a target north of the Gaza Strip on Sunday morning but no casualties were reported, according to local sources.

The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) have been escalating aerial attacks on the Gaza Strip ever since the calm agreement with Palestinian resistance factions expired last Friday.

The agreement, which stipulated reciprocal ceasefire, also included lifting the siege on Gaza and opening crossings gradually but Israel did not live up to its promises and retained the siege and kept the crossings working at minimal capacity.

Meanwhile, Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad Movement, on Sunday fired five locally made Quds missiles at Israeli targets adjacent to Gaza.

The armed wing said that the firing was in retaliation to IOF crimes in the West Bank and the besieged Strip.

Israeli media said that a settler was injured in Ashkelon when one of those rockets fell near him.

The Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Hamas Movement, on Saturday fired six mortar shells at IOF positions east of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip.

The Brigades said that the shelling was in retaliation to the IOF ceaseless crimes the latest being the murder of Ali Hijzai and the injury of others in northern Gaza on Saturday.

Exchange of fire starts early; Gaza parents advised to keep children indoors

Date: 21 / 12 / 2008  Time:  10:41
Gaza – Ma’an –

In retaliation to the killing of a Palestinian fighter yesterday, thirteen homemade projectiles and several mortar shells were fired by Palestinian armed factions on Sunday, two days after a six-month old truce between Israel and Palestinian factions expired.

Starting a new round of violence, an Israeli aerial drone fired two missiles at a projectile launch site near Qlebo Dome in the northern Gaza Strip.

In Israel a Thai man was injured, several greenhouses and a home were slightly damaged by Palestinian projectiles in the border town of Sderot, while no injuries have been reported in Gaza. On Saturday Israeli fire killed one Gazan fighter and injured five including two children playing in an open field in the north of the Strip. The same day reports of between ten and fifteen projectile launches resulted in no Israeli injuries.

Director of Ambulance and Emergency Services in the Palestinian Health Ministry Mu'awiya Hassanain told Gazans to exercise extreme caution and prevent children from playing in open fields. He also recommended keeping streets clear so ambulances can move quickly in case of emergency.

Israeli Radio announced an imminent escalation of attacks against Gaza targets, which will most likely be targeted assassinations.

Israel set to carry out targeted assassinations against Gaza faction leaders

Date: 21 / 12 / 2008  Time:  10:01
Bethlehem – Ma’an –

Israeli occupation government security sources indicated a confrontation with Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip is imminent and that there is little chance of a détente after days of fire from both sides.

According to Radio Israel the Israeli occupation army will carry out ground and air attacks on the Gaza Strip Sunday, they will aim weapons at military and factional leaders carrying through with earlier threats of targeted assassinations. The siege will continue.

In the past targeted assassinations have resulted in tens of civilian deaths, since the civilian centers in the Gaza Strip are densely populated and high-ranking officials are not likely to be in the field launching projectiles.

The Israeli sources explained that the military would “not necessarily” be conducting widespread ground invasions, indicating targeted air attacks.

The Israeli cabinet is scheduled to hold its weekly session Sunday, where the situation will be reviewed. On Saturday Israeli shells killed one fighter and injured three others from the Fatah’s Al-Aqsa Brigades, and a later artillery strike injured a three and seven year old near Beit Hanoun. Gaza factions responded to the day’s violence with ten homemade projectile launches at Israeli targets, which resulted in no damage or injuries.

The Israeli occupation forces reported the launch of 15 projectiles, but confirmed there were no damages or injuries.

Israeli occupation government ministers Haim Ramon and Eli Yishai demanded that the Zionist state change its policy towards the launch of Palestinian projectiles, and are expected to demand extra judicial executions be carried out (They don't want to see any Palestinian retaliation to killing and injury of Palestinians).

Israeli minister advises Hamas leaders to remain indoors during daylight hours

Date: 21 / 12 / 2008  Time:  13:18
Bethlehem - Ma’an -

Hamas leaders Ismail Haniya and Mahmoud Zahar should avoid moving freely during the day, the Israeli occupation government minister of transportation, Shaul Mofaz, told the Israeli occupation army Radio Sunday afternoon.

Mofaz’s comments seem to affirm the new Israeli position on military operations to suppress Palestinian retaliations  from the Gaza Strip. To date Israeli fire has targeted Gazan resistance fighters usually at projectile launch areas, or the launch pads themselves.

Mofaz expressed disapproval over the way the Israeli occupation government defense minister, Ehud Barak, has been responding to the retaliatory projectile launches from Gaza, wondering what more Barak wanted before he escalated the Israeli response. He described the current response as one of ‘merely opening and closing crossings.’

“There is only one way to respond to the escalation by Hams,” Mofaz added.

(Apparently, Mofaz wants to see a lot of Palestinian blood shed in massacres involving Gaza women and children, only then he will be happy).