Hamas’s military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, announced Thursday morning that its forces were going on high alert, deploying at the highest readiness level in expectation of a possible full-blown war with Israel.
The announcement followed Wednesday night’s sniper fire from Gaza that moderately wounded an IDF officer near Kissufim, which was followed by retaliatory strikes by IDF tanks and planes that targeted multiple Hamas installations and left three members of the terror group dead.
The soldier injured by sniper fire from southern Gaza on Wednesday was rushed to Soroka hospital in Beersheba, where he underwent surgery for gunshot wounds to the chest and abdomen, according to a hospital spokesperson. His condition was initially described as serious, but improved after the surgery. He is currently said to be in moderate condition.
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza said three Palestinians were killed in the Israeli strikes. It named them as 28-year-old Ahmad al-Basous, 29-year-old Abada Farawna and 27-year-old Muhammed al-Ara’er.
Hamas’ military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, later said the three were its members.
“Israel will pay in blood for its latest crimes,” the group said in a Thursday morning statement.
Following the exchange of fire, nine rockets were launched early Thursday from Gaza toward Israeli towns, eight landing in uninhabited areas and one shot down by the Iron Dome system. There were no reports of injuries or damage.
The IDF responded to the rocket fire, firing tank shells at seven Hamas posts along the border.
Late Wednesday, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman convened a meeting at army headquarters in Tel Aviv with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot, Shin Bet head Nadav Argaman and National Security Adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat to discuss the rising tensions.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was updated by the group by telephone, according to Army Radio.
A day after Israel faced fire on both the Syrian and Gazan fronts, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told recruits on Thursday that Israel “will do what is necessary to maintain our security, not just for the communities in the area adjacent to the Gaza Strip but for the State of Israel.”
“We are conducting difficult fronts – both in the South and the North,” Netanyahu told the recruits to the Paratroop Brigade and the Border Police at the induction base at Tel Hashomer.
Asked particularly about the situation on the Gaza border after the five-day cease-fire was violated by Hamas sniper fire that wounded a soldier on Wednesday triggering a sharp Israeli response that killed three militants in Gaza, Netanyahu replied that Israel is in a campaign that “entails an exchange of blows, but in the end it is a test of willpower. We are exhausting every possibility, but we are very, very determined to defend our borders.”
“We are conducting difficult fronts – both in the South and the North,” Netanyahu told the recruits to the Paratroop Brigade and the Border Police at the induction base at Tel Hashomer.
Asked particularly about the situation on the Gaza border after the five-day cease-fire was violated by Hamas sniper fire that wounded a soldier on Wednesday triggering a sharp Israeli response that killed three militants in Gaza, Netanyahu replied that Israel is in a campaign that “entails an exchange of blows, but in the end it is a test of willpower. We are exhausting every possibility, but we are very, very determined to defend our borders.”
No comments:
Post a Comment