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Photo: Gidi Kabalo
Qassam rocket attack (Archive photo)
Photo: Gidi Kabalo
Photo: Eli Elgarat
Shaul Mofaz
Photo: Eli Elgarat

Mofaz orders return to targeted assassinations

Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz has ordered a renewal of targeted assassinations of senior terrorists behind Qassam rocket attacks on southern Israel; IAF operated against areas from which Qassams were launched, in response to Sunday's rocket attacks

Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz has ordered a renewal of targeted assassinations of senior terrorists who are behind the recent Qassam rocket attacks on southern Israel.

 

Defense officials are examining ways to respond to the increasing intensity of Qassam rocket attacks on the Negev region.

 

The Israeli air Force has operated against areas from which the Qassam rockets have been launched at, in response to the Qassam shooting.

 

"We will continue to use all the means at our disposal in order to prevent attacks against Israeli citizens," an IDF source said.

 

On Sunday, the IDF fired artillery shells at areas in northern Gaza used to launch the Qassams, as it has done in previous days.

 

The security forces view the rocket barrage with severity, but for now, the IDF will not mobilize forces around the Gaza border as part of a possible ground operation.

 

Mofaz has, however, authorized a series of steps to stop the rocket attacks, and the military has been ordered to return to a policy of targeted assassinations in order to strike at terror cells that launch Qassams and mortars at Israel.

 

At the same time, defense officials have said that the IDF will continue to distinguish between those who are active in terrorism and the Palestinian population, which does not play a role in attacks, as demonstrated Saturday when conditions for Palestinian workers from Gaza were eased.

 

A senior IDF officer said that Palestinian prosperity was a security interest for Israel, and added that this policy (of easing conditions) would continue.

 

Rocket attacks

 

Earlier on Sunday, three Palestinian Qassam rockets landed in Moshav Shuva, located in the southern Negev region. There were no injuries, although a number of people suffered shock due to the attack.

 

Later, several more rockets were then fired at Israel from the Gaza Strip. The rockets fell in the western Negev region.

 

The Lachish district declared a Qassam alert following the attack, which emanated from Gaza.

 

This is the first time that rockets from Gaza fell close to homes. Glass from one home was shattered due to the attack, with a woman inside the house. The rocket fell a few meters from her, but she was not physically injured.

 

The woman was treated by a Magen David Adom crew and is suffering from shock.

 

Her neighbor, and a guest staying at a house next door are also being treated for shock, and emergency services said they were unable to speak or move.

 

A resident of a nearby moshav told Ynet: “The entire community is in panic, everyone heard the explosions, and people are panicking in an extreme way. This attack was not like others in the past, and it was much stronger in its intensity than the Qassams that fell here previously.

 

“We hope there will be solutions, we don’t have bomb shelters and we don’t have protected structures, because we are a veteran community.”

 

Emergency services including firefighters, police, military, and ambulances were summoned to the scene and are worked to neutralize the fallen rockets.

 

Mofaz to PA: End the attacks

 

The Air Force carried out three aerial strikes overnight at areas in northern Gaza from which Qassam rockets have been fired, and three buildings used for terrorist activity in Gaza City have been hit, following Qassam and rocket attacks on Saturday.

  

The al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades said they were behind Saturday’s attacks.

 

A senior IDF officer said there was a decrease in Gaza border security incidents since the disengagement. "Clearly we see every Qassam attack with severity, but sometimes overaggressive operations can bring results that don't serve our interests," said the source.

 

He refused to indicate the level of escalation which would cause the IDF to go beyond responding to the rocket attacks with artillery and air strikes.

 

Hanan Greenberg and Ronny Sofer contributed to the report

 


פרסום ראשון: 12.04.05, 18:27
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