Israel Strikes Dozens of Gaza Targets
by VOA News July 08, 2014
Israel launched dozens of air raids on the Gaza Strip Tuesday as it edged closer to a ground invasion to halt Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel.
"We are preparing for a battle against Hamas which will not end within a few days," Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon said in a statement. "We will not tolerate missiles being fired at Israeli towns and we are prepared to extend the operations with all means at our disposal in order to keep hitting Hamas."
Israel's security cabinet also authorized the military to call up 40,000 reservists in addition to the 1,500 already mobilized. Israel is also mobilizing for a possible ground offensive. Tanks and artillery have been deployed along the Gaza border.
The Israeli army said its air attacks, part of an assault it called 'Operation Protective Edge,' struck 90 sites, including houses and rocket launch sites.
Palestinian officials said the air attacks killed at least 11 people, including two children.
There were no reports of deaths from rockets fired out of Gaza.
Israeli President Shimon Peres said his country has no choice but to respond to the Hamas rockets fired into southern Israel.
'Hamas was offered by the quartet to stop shooting, recognize Israel, declare that you are for peace and you will be legitimized. They refused all the three," Peres said.
"Instead, they cut tunnels, to shoot rockets, and they are shooting … hundreds [of] rockets during the night. Against whom? Against civilian people. There is no way to compromise between death and life. There is no way to compromise between peace and war,' he added.
Reprisal rocket attacks
Israel said the offensive was a response to a wave of rocket attacks by the Islamic militant group Hamas, which rules Gaza.
Violence flared on the Israel-Gaza border last month after Israel arrested hundreds of Hamas activists in the occupied West Bank following the disappearance there of three Israeli youths on June 12.
Palestinians have launched more than 200 rockets at Israel from Gaza, the military said.
The Israeli military said that in the past 24 hours, more than 100 rockets had been fired at Israel, a sharp increase. Some were intercepted by the Iron Dome anti-missile system and none that landed caused fatalities, although two people were wounded by shrapnel.
Government spokesman Mark Regev said, "Over the last few weeks, hundreds of such rockets have been fired. We have repeatedly warned Hamas that this must stop. And the Israel Defense Forces are currently acting to put an end to this once and for all."
Call for calm
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called on Israel to halt the airstrikes immediately and appealed for calm.
"The Palestinian leadership is conducting intensive and urgent contacts with regional and international parties to stop the escalation," Abbas said.
Abbas, however, has little influence over a Gaza Strip, the Associated Press reported.
Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007, and despite a recent unity deal that ostensibly handed control back to Abbas, the militant group remains the dominant power there.
Smaller and more radical forces than Hamas are also involved in rocket fire from Gaza, according to AP.
Hamas, which admits an escalation in its rocket assault, said it will not be intimidated by Israeli bombs.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said the Palestinian people have the right to resist and defend themselves against what he described as Israeli "aggression."
He added the "occupation will pay a heavy price for its crimes."
US reaction
Meanwhile, U.S. President Barack Obama is urging Israelis and Palestinians to 'act with reasonableness and restraint' at what he called a dangerous moment between the two sides.
In an article published Tuesday in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Obama said the two sides must protect the innocent and not use 'vengeance and retribution.'
Obama also said he still believes it is possible for Israel and the Palestinians to achieve peace, calling that the only path to security in Israel.
U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Monday that Secretary of State John Kerry has spoken with leaders from both sides in recent days, reiterating the need to reduce tensions and violence.
'Anytime there are rocket attacks into Israel, we certainly condemn those and we would do so in this case as well," Psaki said. "And there's no place for violence and increasing tension as we're seeing on the ground. We don't feel that's productive to a peaceful society.'
Escalation in violence
The kidnapping and killing of three Israeli teenagers and a Palestinian youth helped to further escalate tensions in the past week.
Both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Abbas have condemned the acts and vowed to punish those responsible.
Israeli investigators said Monday that three of six Jewish suspects accused of killing 16-year-old Mohammed Abu Khdeir have confessed to the crime and re-enacted it for authorities.
It is believed the Palestinian was killed as revenge for the deaths of the Israeli teens.
Israel blames Hamas for the killing of the Israeli youths. Hamas has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility in the abduction and killings.
Robert Berger contributed to this report from Jerusalem. Some information for this report provided by Reuters and AP.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
