Gaza Strip, Gaza City -- Israel carried out a series of airstrikes in Gaza on Friday that killed at least 10 people, including senior combatants, and killed several, according to . Ten people were injured. Palestinian official. Israel said it was targeting Islamic jihadist militant groups in response to an "imminent threat" after the arrest of another senior militant in the occupied West Bank earlier this week.
Palestinian militants launched a barrage of rockets hours later in central and southern Israel amid the blaring of air raid sirens, bringing both sides closer to full-scale war. Islamic Jihad claimed to have fired 100 rockets.
The militant Hamas ruler of Israel and Gaza has fought his four wars and several minor battles in the past 15 years and has killed her two million Palestinian residents in the region. made a tremendous sacrifice to
An explosion with smoke coming from his seventh floor of a high-rise building in Gaza City was heard on Friday afternoon. A video released by the military showed the strike blowing up three of his watchtowers suspected of being insurgents.
In a nationally televised address Friday night, Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said his country launched the attack based on a "concrete threat."
"The government has a zero-tolerance policy against attempted attacks of any kind from Gaza into Israeli territory," Rapid said. "Israel cannot stand by and watch those who seek to harm civilians."
I'm not interested in, but I'm not avoiding it either," he added.
Violence will be an early test for Rapid, who assumed the role of caretaker prime minister ahead of the November elections. He has diplomatic experience and served as foreign minister in the next administration, but his security credentials are weak.
Hamas also faces a dilemma in deciding whether to join a new battle — just a year after the last war caused widespread devastation. Since then, little reconstruction has taken place, and the isolated coastal area has plunged into poverty, with unemployment hovering around 50%.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health said a 5-year-old girl and her 23-year-old woman were killed, and he said 55 others were injured. It did not distinguish between civilians and militants. The Israeli military said early estimates put about 15 fighters dead.
Islamic Jihad said the commander of northern Gaza, Taysel al-Jabari, had been killed. He followed in the footsteps of another militant who was killed in an airstrike in 2019. Hundreds marched in a funeral procession for him and others killed, with many mourners waving Palestinian and Islamic Jihad flags calling for revenge.
Israeli media showed skies over southern and central Israel illuminated by rockets and interceptors from Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system. Explosions were heard in Tel Aviv. The number of rockets fired was not immediately apparent, and casualties on the Israeli side were not immediately announced.
Israel continued to strike other targets on Friday, including weapons production facilities and Islamic jihadist camps.
Hundreds gathered outside the morgue at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City after the first Israeli strike. Some went in to identify their loved ones, but only burst into tears. Some shouted, "May God take revenge on the spies," referring to Palestinian informants working with Israel.
A spokesman for the Israeli military said it launched the attack in response to an "imminent threat" from his two militant units armed with anti-tank missiles. A spokesman, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, said al-Jabari had been deliberately targeted and was responsible for "multiple attacks" against Israel.
Meanwhile, Benny • Defense Minister Gantz has approved an order to call up 25,000 reservists as needed. The military also announced a "special situation" on the homefront that schools would be closed and other activities restricted in communities within 80 kilometers (50 miles) of the border.
Israel closed roads around Gaza earlier this week, preparing for retaliatory strikes after arresting Islamic Jihad leader Bassam al-Saadi on Monday in a military raid in the occupied west. sent reinforcements to the border. Bank. His teenage member of the group died in a shootout between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants.
Israel and Hamas have fought four wars since militant groups seized power in the coastal zone from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. The most recent event was May 2021, with tensions earlier this year following a wave of attacks inside Israel, near-daily military operations in the West Bank, and tensions in the flashpoint Jerusalem Holy Land. soared again.
Islamic Jihad leader Ziad Al-Nahra told Iran's Al-Mayadeen television network, "The Palestinian resistance fighters must unite to face this aggression." won't," he said. He said there were "no red lines" and condemned Israeli violence.
Hamas spokesman Forge Barhoom said: "Israel's enemies who initiated the escalation against Gaza and committed new crimes must pay the price and be held accountable." rice field.
Islamic Jihad is smaller than Hamas, but shares much of its ideology. Both groups oppose Israel's existence and have carried out numerous deadly attacks over the years, including rocket launches into Israel. It is unclear to what extent Hamas controls Islamic Jihad, and Israel holds Hamas responsible for all attacks emanating from Gaza.
Israel and Egypt have maintained a tight blockade of their territory since the Hamas takeover. Israel says the shutdown is necessary to prevent Hamas from building its military capabilities, but critics say the policy amounts to collective punishment.
Mohamed Abu Sermiya, director of Gaza's largest Shifa hospital, said the hospital was facing shortages after Israel shut down Gaza completely earlier this week. He said there was enough supplies and essential medicines to keep the hospital running for five days in normal times, but with renewed fighting underway, "they could run out at any moment."[49] }
Israel has canceled a scheduled delivery of fuel to Gaza's only power plant. Gaza's power plant was expected to shut down early Saturday if fuel did not enter the area. Even with power plants running at full capacity, Gazans endure power outages that last for hours.
Hundreds of Israelis protested near the Gaza Strip on Friday demanding the return of the bodies of his two Israeli soldiers held in custody by Hamas.
Protesters were led by the family of Hadar Goldin, who was killed along with Oron Shaul in the 2014 Gaza civil war. Hamas has taken their remains and two of his Israeli civilians, thought to be mentally ill after wandering into Gaza, as part of the thousands of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. I still have it, hoping to replace it.
Israel says it will not make any major moves to lift the blockade until the bodies of its soldiers and captured civilians are released. Israel and Hamas have been negotiating through Egypt on a number of occasions over possible swaps.
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Claus reported from Ottawa, Ontario. His Associated Press reporter, Ariel Shalit, in Kibbutzyad Mordechai, Israel, contributed to this report.
