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Photo: Amir Cohen
Peretz
Photo: Amir Cohen

Israeli helicopters fire at open fields in northern Gaza

After Palestinian gunmen launch nine Qassam rockets at Negev area, IDF choppers fire at open fields in Strip. Defense Minister Peretz vows tough military response to ongoing rocket attacks from Gaza, but says Israel would not be dragged into internal Palestinian strife

Israeli helicopters fired automatic fire at open fields in the northern Gaza Strip used by gunmen to fire rockets towards Israel.

 

No injuries were reported.

 

Nine Qassams were fired Wednesday from the northern Gaza Strip and landed in open fields south of Ashkelon and near Sderot. One of the rockets landed near a soccer field in one of the kibbutzim in the area and two fell in Sderot.

 

No injuries were reported, but a building in Sderot sustained damage.

 

Defense Minister Amir Peretz vowed a tough military response to ongoing rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip, but said Israel would not be dragged into internal Palestinian strife.

 

"Hamas aims at covering up for its murderous attack on Fatah men and we have no intention of getting involved in the internal conflicts in the Palestinian Authority," Peretz said, referring to the killing of 14 Fatah gunmen in separate attacks by Hamas.

 

Speaking to reporters during an IDF drill, Peretz said that despite the rocket threat he spent the night at his Sderot home. "The internal conflict in Gaza is not a consideration in the defense of Israel's citizens, and every incident will be looked into and receive the proper response," he stated.

 

Peretz spoke of the IDF's rehabilitation following the Second Lebanon War, and said that improvement was already noticeable. However, he said that the army was still suffering from budgetary problems, mainly in the field of providing gas masks for the civilian population, particularly children and infants.

 

"I have no intention of compromising on the issue of fortification and protection of the home front, in both the southern and northern sectors. The State of Israel must allocate funds to protect its citizens, and I foresee a hard struggle with the Treasury over this," he stated.

 

Hanan Greenberg contributed to the report

 


פרסום ראשון: 05.16.07, 10:23
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