12 Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrike – including three terrorists

On Tuesday evening, Israel launched an airstrike on the city of Gaza and in Rafah. This is reported by the Palestinian Ministry of Health Twelve people died, including women and children. About 20 others were injured. Also Three senior members of the militant Palestinian organization Islamic Jihad are dead in the Gaza Strip who have been deliberately killed. Weapon factories for the production of missiles in Khan Yunis and other jihad facilities were also reportedly attacked.

The Israeli army justified Operation “Shield and Arrow” in recent weeks with rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip on the Israeli border area. However, the massive attack came as a surprise as there had been a ceasefire for almost a week.

40 planes and “some tragic deaths”

Israeli army spokesman Richard Hecht said during an interview with journalists: a total of 40 aircraft were involved in the attacks been. The military has achieved its goals. However, the Department of Defense has instructed the military to rely on the prepare for possible mobilization of reservists.

Regarding the deaths of women and children, Hecht said the reports were checked.

The attacks had been planned since last week. On the issue of possible retaliatory attacks from the Gaza Strip and perhaps also from neighboring countries to the north, Lebanon and Syria, Hecht said they were “ready in all scenes”. “We hope this will come to an end as soon as possible.”

Rockets on Israel in the past week

The Israeli army said the three jihadists were Khalil Bahitini, a commander in northern Gaza responsible for the recent rocket attacks on Israel, Jahed Ahnam, head of the military council, and Tarek Az Aldin, who led the attacks in the West Bank. coordinated. Israel announced all this on Twitter and published the photos of the dead men.

A Jihad spokesman said Israel “disregarded all initiatives of mediators”. You will avenge the death of the three leaders.

For the past week, Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip have been monitoring the death of a Palestinian prisoner Dozens of rockets and several mortar rounds fired at Israel. Several people were injured.

Chader Adnan, a senior member of Islamic Jihad, died in Israeli custody after nearly three months of hunger strike. According to prison authorities, Adnan was imprisoned on suspicion of membership in a terrorist organization and support for terrorism and hate speech.

Israel has attacked and killed jihadist leaders in the Gaza Strip several times in the past. Army chief Khalid Mansur was killed in an Israeli airstrike in August last year. Two other jihadist members were killed, including Mansur’s deputy. At that time, there were massive rocket attacks from the Palestinian area and further Israeli airstrikes. After three days, a ceasefire brokered by Egypt came into effect.

Hamas probably “not in sight”

Civilians in southern Israel have been ordered to remain near a designated safe area until Wednesday. According to media reports, border crossings into the Gaza Strip have been closed and schools have also been closed. Train service to the border town of Sderot was halted Anticipate possible counter-attacks stopped.

The Israeli news site ynet reported that Israel sent the message to Islamist Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, that it was “not targeted”.

About two million people live in the Gaza Strip in appalling conditions. Hamas seized power there in 2007. Israel then tightened a blockade of the coastal area, which is backed by Egypt.

A Hamas spokesman said after the Israeli airstrikes that the Palestinian people know how to respond to the “crime” of targeting jihadists and “attacking the occupier”. A Jihad spokesman said Israel “disregarded all initiatives of mediators”. You will avenge the death of the three leaders.

Hamas and Islamic Jihad are classified as terrorist organizations by the US, EU and Israel. Both groups have taken on the cause of Israel’s destruction. However, Islamic Jihad is considered even more radical than Hamas. According to the CIA World Factbook, the number of jihadi fighters is estimated at between 1,000 and several thousand. Hamas is considered to be much stronger militarily, with an estimated number of fighters of 25,000. Unlike Hamas, Islamic Jihad has no interest in participating in government, focusing instead on armed resistance against Israel.

(yam/sda/dpa)