UPDATED ON:
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
15:26 Mecca time, 12:26 GMT
 
News Middle East
Israel hit by 'rockets from Gaza'

Hamas has vowed a 'harsh' response to the Israeli raid and air strike of Tuesday night [AFP]

More than 35 rockets have been fired from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel, according to news agency Reuters.

Israeli police reported "massive" rocket fire from the Hamas-governed Palestinian territory on Wednesday morning.

A police spokesman said there were no injuries or damage.

The rocket fire came just hours after six Palestinians were killed in the first clash between Israeli troops and Hamas fighters since a truce was declared in June.

Three other people were injured in the incident late on Tuesday, which involved an Israeli air strike.

Israeli border troops and Hamas fighters fired at each other after the soldiers moved to destroy "a tunnel aimed at abducting soldiers" about 300m inside Gaza.

'Enemy will pay'

During the clashes, Dr Moaiya Hassanain, a Palestinian health ministry official, said one Palestinian - Mazen Seada, a senior Hamas commander in central Gaza - was killed and three were wounded, including a woman.

Shortly afterwards, Hamas said it fired mortars at southern Israel and the army said it launched an air strike at the mortar launchers and hit them.

Hamas radio confirmed that four fighters were killed in the air strike.

"The aggression is a major violation of the agreement. If such raids are repeated, fighting will not be limited only to the area east of the central Gaza Strip"

Sami Abu Zuhri,
Hamas spokesman

Gaza medics said another fighter was killed by a tank shell.

Hamas vowed revenge, saying on its military wing's website that its "response will be harsh, and the enemy will pay a heavy price".

Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman, said the raid proved that Israel was not interested in continuing the ceasefire although he stopped short of saying that Hamas would abandon it.

"The aggression is a major violation of the agreement. If such raids are repeated, fighting will not be limited only to the area east of the central Gaza Strip," Abu Zuhri said.

A senior Israeli military official speaking on condition of anonymity said the tunnel had been dug from inside a Gaza home, illustrating that Hamas was using civilians for cover.

Truce threatened

Both sides claimed they had not violated the Egyptian-mediated truce reached in June after months of indirect negotiations that halted a deadly cycle of Palestinian rocket attacks and Israeli bombardment.

The army said it was acting to remove an immediate threat to Israel while Hamas said it was trying to prevent an Israeli incursion.

Despite the truce, Israel has closed its crossings into the coastal strip of 1.4 million Palestinians and mostly kept the crippling siege it imposed on the area after Hamas forcibly took over the territory from Fatah forces loyal to Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, in June last year.

Sporadic rocket attacks on southern Israel from Gaza have also persisted in spite of the ceasefire.

Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier, was seized near the Gaza Strip by Palestinian fighters who tunnelled across the border in June 2006.

The fighters continue to demand the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in return for Shalit.

 Source: Agencies
Feedback Number of comments : 29
 
scott
Israel
05/11/2008
HAMAS ROCKETS
ITS called defending your self!!!!!! Any time rockets are sent to kill innocent people there is a price to pay!! So i laugh when i here the aggression is a major violation!! Its called retaliation =your dead!!!!!!!

Al
United States
05/11/2008
Rockets from Gaza
The greatest mistake of the twentieth century was relocating the Jews to Palestine after WWII. However, Israel is here to stay regardless of all of the hate and vitriol of both communities. Time for forgiveness is now reconcile and let's move forward with peace and understanding of each other and our differences. Militarism is doomed to fail for both sides. A new approach is needed or the results will always be an endless cycle of violence and woe. Grow up world and use your brains, not guns.

Oleg
Belarus
05/11/2008
BIG mistake
Egypt and Jordan committed a BIG mistake by occupying Gaza, West Bank and Jerusalem for twenty years! Lucky for Palestinians Israel kicked them out. Otherwise West Bank would've been Jordanian today.

Greg
Canada
05/11/2008
The political purpose
Although Obama has made it absolutely clear he supports Israel, this raid was Israel saying it expects him to maintain his support. For those who expect 'change' under Obama, this is a clear signal that the colonial occupation - and U.S. imperialism - will continue, whether under a unilateral or multilateral banner.

A True American
United States
05/11/2008
Truth
Hate from any side is no longer what people want. The world will no longer accept this form of "communication". If people continue to make comments regarding the United States and how we are bent on world domination, you will be rideculed for your ignorance. Time has come for you to be exposed for what you really are and that's a bunch of sad individuals who can't stop the hate or fighting. Do yourselves a favor and grow up.

JohnE
Peru
05/11/2008
Israeli attack
It could be that the Israeli army provoked the rockets the day after the election to "establish" Hamas' "terrorism" en the eyes of Obama.

Ammar Khalid
United Kingdom
05/11/2008
Israel hit by rockets from Gaza
Another episode of calculated strike by Israelis. Kill as many as possible while world dances on Obama fever and the cries of young children and poor gazans would be suppressed by the loud shouts "OBAMA" "OBAMA"........maybe the oppressed would start shouting "OSAMA" "OSAMA"......who knows...........there ain't much difference in these two slogans

Steelman
Afghanistan
05/11/2008
Really
The Muslims continously spend all energy and money killing and hating. If muslims spent one tenth of their killing funds on taking care of their people, there would be no poverty and degredation in their countries. Why is it that the Israelis have built a paradise out of the same piece of land that looks like a slum when the Palistenians live there? The mindset of the Muslims is what imprisons them, not the west or the Israelis. They can free themselves by stopping the killings!

Jay
United Kingdom
05/11/2008
Israel/palestine
Al - that was not the greatest mistake of the 20th century. The greatest mistake was made by the palestinians, when they refused the offer of Israel in 1948 to live pecefully side by side and build an infrastructure TOGETHER, with BOTH sides benefitting equally. Instead, they chose to run. But NONE of their arab neighbours wanted them, so the palestinians had to drag their sorry little asses back to Israel and start a never-ending war against those whom the UN voted a legitimate homeland.

alfred
Australia
06/11/2008
Gaza
The plight and sufferings of the Palestinians is the one of the most longest known humanitarian crisis. However, the international community do nothing to resolve the problem specially the US. The UN is a one sided and biased institution.

abdigani
United States
06/11/2008
conflict
this situation that happenes know will increase the conflict between the two sides. hamas had fired 35 rockets at isreal BUT no one get injured or died in that incident. in the other hand isreal reacted by killing at least 6 palestinies that's not fear at all to me i think isreal think that Gaza strip is a training base for the isrealian helocoptors just killing when ever they want that is bad.

Wycked Wytch
United States
06/11/2008
Palestine/Israel
Palestinians were forced from their homes to make room for the zionists after WWII. From there, Israel took over more and more of the land, and forced the Palestinians into smaller and tighter quarters. They have blockaded them into the Gaza Strip and the small country called Palestine a fraction of what it was. Israel is violating the Geneva Convention by occupying Palestine, by building the road blocks, and by building the wall seperating families.

Sohel Parvez
Bangladesh
06/11/2008
About Jays comment?
Mr. Jay, Would you allow to established any country suppose Israel in your country? Why should Palestine allow that?

Aysha
Afghanistan
05/11/2008
Clouded by "Democracy"
As the Muslim world embraces the "so-called" demonistic "Democratic" traits of the West, all eyes were focused on the election. As the Muslims world-wide continue to turn a blind eye, we as Muslims will never be safe, I beg my brethren... Stop turning a blind eye. Democracy will not help the Muslims, it will only imprison us! Open your eyes to the suffering of your brethren...

Fazil
South Africa
05/11/2008
Democracy
Democracy: Where the masses vote like asses!

Ben
United States
05/11/2008
Response to Aysha
What is "imprisoning" about everyone having an equal voice?

Senzo
Afghanistan
05/11/2008
Brother
I beg that many voices are heard for the suffering of our fellow brothers. Were it a "western country" forced to live under the conditions that the Gazan's do - half the world would take action. Israel occupies and lies. They 'speak words of peace' with tanks and missiles. Know that my heart too bleeds for them, especially the children, raised in hoplessness with a reason to hate as they starve, have no material\s to mend shoes and none available to buy. Wish we could force the world to act

Wilkins
Kenya
05/11/2008
Clouded by democracy
Aysha, Democracy is good it is not as bad as you say you know in the abscence of democracy there will be warlords, drug traffickers, dictators and smugglers who always will be readily available to fill in the vacuum of instability. Your country and Somalia are good examples.

Mohamed Zarook
Sri Lanka
05/11/2008
Gaza
Israel always choses its time for the massacre, either during football world cup, Olympics, and now American elections. The Arab world has become secular chasing the glory of this ephemeral world, utterly disunited on all issues, the Arab League is a myth and OIC after more than 30 years have not got a letter head nor a place to meet. Be warned Allah says " if you do not do my job I will replace you with another who will do my job". That day is not far away.

Mike
Canada
05/11/2008
Retaliation
Did Israel really expect to make an attack, legitamite or not and Hamas wasn't going to strike back. This is where dialogue was needed, not war and weapons

Tom
Afghanistan
05/11/2008
Aysha
WHAT the heck are you talking about??? Article says rockets fired from Gaza into Israel. Now Israel will retaliate, then HAMAS will scream they have to retaliate. I know it is on the edge of unbelievable, but I’ll bet if HAMAS and / or Hezbollah did fire rockets OR raid into Israel they’d be left alone. Appears to me that 98% of these events begin with some sort of attack on Israel. Israel ever get that soldier back??

George Washington
Afghanistan
05/11/2008
Power grab
The Zionist forces in Isreal are panicking with Obama sweeping the election in America. Far-right forces within the Israeli govt and military will do everything they can to provoke an all-out war both in Gaza and amongst the illegal settlements in the West Bank. They do this because they know Obama will not continue supporting their genocide and they will be forced to cut a deal with the major Arab powers. They want to be in as strong a position as possible before the negotiations start.

mike
United States
05/11/2008
un ending fighting
I was looking for progress toward peace in this region. Most people on the planet do not understand the age old violence. Many blame religious extremism & old time resentment. In Many countries, informed people had hoped for independent statehood for Palestine, But it appears the best & brightest minds are so far unable to stop the hatred & violence from continuing. You appear like mis- behaved children, whose parents are unable to control your unruly disruptions in an adult world.

Aaron
Canada
05/11/2008
election
is there any relation to this truce violation occuring on the eve of the presidential election, when the worlds attention will not be diverted to 'petty' gaza violence when there is a new US president-elect?

charles jackson
United States
05/11/2008
Israel today
While the biggest mistake of the last century may have been relocating Jews to palestine after WW2 the second biggest mistake is doing nothing about it. Thinking the problem is going away is like hoping to be cured from terminal cancer. It just won't hapen.

John
United States
05/11/2008
Al is right. Israel is here to stay. Instead of hoping they'll just disappear, its time the change the way things are done. Embrace them, make peace. Once the missiles end, their aggression will end. The status quo simply hasn't and won't work!!

Wycked Wytch
United States
06/11/2008
Responding to Steelman
These clashes are not religiously motivated. There are non-Muslim Palestinians also. This is a country of people being oppressed by another country. Palestine had no choice in handing over this land to Israel. To have the world believe that you are violent because of your religious beliefs when in reality you are rebelling against a country that is polluting your water, killing your children, and making life almost unbearable must be almost unbearable. The Muslim religion is not to blame.

Ernest Saenz
United States
06/11/2008
Israel hit by "rockets from Gaza"
What started all this this time? A tunnel Israel claims was going to be used to abduct soldiers 328 yards inside Gaza and Hamas claiming they were preventing an Israeli incursion. 1) Does Hamas realize that this tunnel was being built from inside a civilian home? 2) Does Hamas know why this tunnel was being built? 3) Would Hamas rather Israel contact them and let them (Hamas) investigate and destroy the tunnel? 4) Does Hamas claim there was no tunnel? Do you bring peace to Abraham? PEACE

aussie bush
Australia
28/12/2008
Why don't the palestianins stand up to Hammas and stop them from using the civilians to shield them are they that gutless they need women children and babies to hide behind?

 
ARTICLE TOOLS
 Email Article  Email article
 Print Article  Print article
 Send Feedback  Send feedback
 Share article  Share article