The IDF announces a widespread campaign on terror targets and begins bombing the Gaza Strip, preparing for a ground operation. This comes after the head of Hamas military wing Ahmed Jabari was killed in an Israeli airstrike. (*)FOLLOW LIVE UPDATES (*)Hamas says now in 'open war' with Israel, promises 'gates of hell' The operation, called Pillar of Defense, has been launched by the Israel military. Many of the buildings in downtown Gaza City are on fire after being attacked by Israeli warplanes, RTs Arabic correspondent Saed Swerky reports on Twitter. The IDF says all options are on the table in Gaza, including a ground operation. Israeli warships have struck "terror sites" in the Gaza Strip, the military forces confirmed. Today we sent a clear message to Hamas and other terrorist organizations, and if it becomes necessary we are prepared to expand the operation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised address on Wednesday. The countrys Defense Minister Ehud Barak declared a special situation in all Israeli territory, covering the area up to a radius of 40 kilometers around the Gaza Strip, the Jerusalem Post said. The minister said that Israel is just at the start of the action, but in the long term, the operation will restore peace. Israel has started emergency call up of reservists, while saying they are preparing for a ground invasion of Gaza, RT`s Tom Barton reports from Israel. The strikes caused extensive damage to the long-range missile capabilities and underground weapons storage facilities, the IDF said on Twitter. The Gaza Education Ministry has announced a suspension of study at Gaza schools and universities due to heavy fire by Israel. A large explosion occurred near home of Hamas leader, Mahmoud Zahar, Al Arabiya reported. The death toll from some 20 strikes has risen to 10, two of them children, with at least 45 wounded, Gaza`s health minister said. Jabari was traveling in his vehicle in Gaza City when his car was struck, AP reports, citing witnesses. Reports say Jabari, his son and three other people were killed in the strike. An Israeli strike also targeted Raad Atar, another senior Hamas military wing commander, but he survived, Israeli Ynet reports. The assassination has "opened the gates of hell," the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, were quoted by AFP as saying. The militants vowed to "continue the path of resistance." The IDF stated on its website that it has launched a "widespread campaign on terror sites and operatives in the Gaza Strip" and Jabari was its first target. He's the highest ranking Hamas official to be killed since 2009, when Israel conducted ground offensive against Gaza. The purpose of this operation was to severely impair the command and control chain of the Hamas leadership, as well as its terrorist infrastructure. This was a surgical operation in cooperation with the Israeli Security Agency, that was implemented on the basis of concrete intelligence and using advanced capabilities, the statement said. The crackdown follows the recent escalation of violence in the region. The conflict broke out last week when Palestinian militants attacked at an Israeli military jeep. Israel responded with retaliatory attacks, to which the Gaza Strip replied with heavy rocket fire at southern Israel. Jabari is the most senior Hamas official to be killed since Operation Cast Lead in Gaza four years ago. He is believed to be behind the notorious abduction and detention of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who was held hostage for more than four years until being released last year as part of a hostage swap deal. http://rt.com/news/hamas-military-chief-killed-684/ Zionist Jews being Zionist Jews. Benny is furious that he may not get his war with Iran, so the punk orchestrates this.
If you don't want Israel to retaliate then don't fire rockets into Israel. Your ignoring the fact that they fired rockets into Israel first.
You are ignoring the fact that Israel has broken loads of ceasefires and that they have murdered loads of civilians including children yet again.
Not for lack of trying. The IDF is better at protecting their people than the Pals are at killing them.
We disproved that here: http://www.politicalforum.com/lates...eli-attack-live-updates-2.html#post1061957645
We disproved that here: http://www.politicalforum.com/lates...eli-attack-live-updates-2.html#post1061957645
Israel's war on Gaza killed 252 children, report claims The Israeli official figures seriously underestimated the civilian Palestinian death toll exacted during its onslaught in Gaza early this year, according to painstaking research to be published today. The first detailed casualty figures from an Israeli human rights organisation since the war ended puts the number of children under 16 killed in the offensive at 252 as opposed to the 89 cited by the military. B'Tselem says its fieldworkers gathered death certificates, photos, and testimonies relating to all 252 of the children. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...illed-252-children-report-claims-1783877.html
Who is B'Tselem? Let me guess, progressive Israelis. You simply cannot find an objective news source.
What are you talking about? Israel started this recent escalation. On November 5th the IDF killed one Palestinian civilian in the Gaza Strip. Then again on November 8th Israel entered the Gaza Strip with 8 bulldozers and tanks and killed a 13-year-old Palestinian boy. Finally on November 10th the Popular Front retaliated to these Israeli attacks. Besides the fact that Israel started the recent fighting by striking first, she also is currently blockading the Gaza Strip - an act of war in itself.
The blockade, and other stuff, was in response to rockets being fired from Gaza into Israel first. You can't call a time out and expect everything to be set again at 0 as if you hadn't done anything.
Lie. The blockade was in response to the people of Gaza democratically electing Hamas as the government, do you actually know anything about this subject?
No, the blockade commenced only after Israel rejected the newly democratically elected Hamas government. Israel called for international boycott and sanctions against the Palestinians after the election. This caused a humanitarian crisis in Gaza since US, and the US pressure on Europe and some Arab states helped enforce the boycott. Also Israel still surrounded Gaza early on following the completed withdrawal in 2006. Only after this there was rockets and a capture of an Israeli soldier. Israel launched its massive attack in June 2006 killing scores of Palestinians and destroying the only power-generating plant in Gaza, and later invading Lebanon. This "other stuff" you claim started this recent escalation? So where were the rockets on November 4th or 8th? (My mistake it was November 4th that the mentally challenged Palestinian man was shot and killed by the IDF - not Nov 5th) On November 5th a civilian was shot near the security fence. And on the 8th Israel entered Gaza and killed a 13-year-old boy... There were no serious attacks on Israel starting the recent fighting. When you enter another people's territory with tanks and bulldozers it's an act of war. When you kill their people, it is an act of war. When you blockade them, it is an act of war. Israeli forces had also this week fired shots at Palestinian farmers on at least 3 occasions during the week of October 31 - November 6th. Moreover, during the same week Israel had attacked several Palestinian fishing boats, with either water cannons or firing upon them.
Agreed, I have already posted a few links in this and other threads confirming that but they have been ignored by the Israeli shrills.
I edited that post you just quoted. I added some more info, that happened recently before the escalation. And I have also fixed an error, one of the incidents occurred on November 4th, not 5th.
