Israel under fire from Gaza

12 March 2012

Israel under fire from Gaza

Since Friday (9 March) Israel has been under a sustained rocket and mortar attack. As of Sunday morning (Israel time), more than 130 rockets had been launched from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip at major population centers in southern Israel.

The rocket barrages have caused great disruption to normal life in southern Israel, with one million Israeli forced into shelters at frequent intervals and 200,000 pupils prevented from going to school.

Four civilians in Israel have been wounded so far, one seriously. Widespread damage and casualties were prevented only by the Iron Dome system, which intercepted 90% of the rockets fired at the cities of Beersheba, Ashdod and Ashkelon.

The current situation started as the terrorist organization known as the Popular Resistance Committee prepared to carry out a repeat of its bloody August 2011 terrorist attack along the Israel-Egypt border. Israel was forced to act to prevent this attack.

Israel targeted two members of the Popular Resistance Committee, including Zujir Kaisi, the head of this terror group. Kaisi was responsible for planning a terror attack that was to take place in the coming days along the Israel-Egypt border. He was among the leaders who planned, funded and directed the terror attack that took place along this border in August 2011, in which 8 Israelis were killed 40 people were wounded.

Israel also is concerned with the build-up of forces in Gaza into Hizbullah-style military formations with more advanced weapons along its border. Reports indicate that Iran is assisting the terrorist organizations in the expansion of their forces while Syria continues to host the headquarters of some of the groups.

Israeli actions are aimed at stopping the attacks on Israeli civilians. At the same time Israel is taking every measure to avoid harm to Palestinian civilians. Israeli defensive actions only target terrorists and terrorist infrastructure. Israel is acting against both the “ticking bomb” that was poised to carry out a terrorist attack on the Israel-Egypt border and against those terrorists who are currently attacking southern Israel.

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