IAF strikes Gaza terror cell; 1 dead

IDF says Gaza terror cell targeted as it was gearing to fire rockets at Israel; Palestinians report of one dead, another injured in strike. Two rockets fired at south overnight

Yoav Zitun|Last update: 10.14.12 , 08:29

IAF jets struck a Gaza terror cell gearing to fire at Israel, the IDF said Sunday. The pilots reported successfully hitting their target.

"The IDF will not tolerate any attempt to bring harm to the citizens of Israel or Israeli security forces and will continue to retaliate against such acts of terror. Hamas is to be held accountable for such acts," the IDF's statement said.

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Palestinian sources in Gaza reported that one man was killed and another man was injured in the strike.

The two were reportedly riding a motorcycle east of the southern Gaza Strip town of Khan Younis. The IDF stressed that the cell targeted was gearing to fire rockets at Israel.

Palestinian media in Gaza identified the fatality as Yasser Muhammad al-Atal, 24, an operative of the Popular Front – General Command (PFGP).

The strike followed Gaza rocket fire on the western Negev overnight: Two Qassam rockets fired from the Strip's north exploded in open areas in the Eshkol Regional Council. No injuries or damage were reported.

Hamas government in Gaza issued a statement following the IAF strike on a terror cell in the Strip, saying that "The Israeli aggression is very serious… Israel is seeking an altercation ahead of the elections."

Ihab a-Racine, a spokesman for Hamas government, said that "The strikes in Gaza reflect the crisis Israel is in… The occupation is trying to achieve its political goals at the expense of the Palestinian people's blood, but the resistance can make it stop."

Sunday morning's strike followed a similar operation on Saturday, which left two terrorists dead.

The two, who were known Mujahideen Shura Council operatives, reportedly planned to carry out a terror attack during Sukkot.

One of the terrorists killed Saturday was Isham Saidani, leader of the Gaza-based Salafi group Al-Tawhid Wal-Jihad.

Saidani, 43, also known as Abu al-Walid al-Muqdasi, was the leader of the al-Qaeda inspired group and was involved in previous terrorist attacks against Israel.

He was arrested in March 2011 by Hamas security forces two years after a violent clash between Hamas and members of the Jund Ansar Allah group which declared the establishment of an Islamic emirate in Gaza.