Gaza: Hamas member killed in IDF strike; PA Finance Ministry bombed

Gaza operation continues: Despite the opening of the northern front against Hizbullah, the IDF continued its offensive in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli Air Force attacked the Palestinian Finance Ministry building in Gaza City overnight Saturday.

There were no reports of casualties. The first airstrike hit offices of the Hamas-controlled economy ministry, setting the building on fire. Rescue teams rushed to the scene of the attack.

A short while later a Palestinian was killed and another was critically wounded when an IDF missile struck a Gaza City house. IDF sources said the building that was attacked was used by Hamas members to manufacture Qassam rockets. 

Palestinian sources in Gaza said the man killed in the attack was identified as Omar Mahmoud Yunes, a 33-year-old Hamas member, adding that 10 people were hurt in the attack.

Later, an Israeli airstrike destroyed a small bridge near the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, Palestinian officials said.

The strike on the Finance Ministry building constitutes another step in the chain of IDF strikes against targets defined as linked to Hamas activity. The government decided to define a number of buildings as legitimate targets in the operation to release abducted soldier Cpl. Gilad Shalit and to stop Qassam attacks.

In the first days of the operation in Gaza, the IAF struck Palestinian government buildings, including the offices of Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh and Foreign Minister Mahmoud a-Zahar. The IDF stressed that as long as Hamas continued to perpetrate terror attacks against Israeli, it would continue to be an Israeli target.