Special report:
Israel launches Gaza assault
JERUSALEM, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- In the wake of a
lethal Qassam rocket attack on southern Israeli town of Sderot on Wednesday,
Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz vowed to continue Israeli operations in the
Gaza Strip "in accordance with Israel's policy and security interests."
Peretz made the remarks at an emergency meeting
attended by top defense officials, including Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief
of Staff Dan Halutz, following a Qassam rocket strike in southern town of Sderot
on Wednesday morning that killed a woman and seriously injured one of Peretz'
bodyguards.
Peretz said during the meeting that he viewed the
matter with great severity and the war on terror would be continuous and would
correspond with Israel's security interests and policies.
Earlier in the day, Peretz said that the strike would
not go unpunished.
"Israel will act against anyone involved in the
rocket fire, from the terrorist leaders to the last activist," he said, warning"
the terrorist organizations will pay a heavy price." Islamic Jihad and militants
from the ruling Palestinian movement Hamas both claimed responsibility for the
attack. Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said the Palestinians acted in
self-defense.
The militant groups said the rockets fire was meant
to avenge the deaths of 18 civilians killed last week in IDF shelling of an
apartment compound in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun.
UN rights body decides to probe Israeli attacks in Gaza
GENEVA, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- The UN Human Rights Council decided on
Wednesday to launch an urgent probe into Israel's recent military operations in the Gaza Strip,
particularly the deadly attack on Palestinian homes in Beit Hanun.
The body decided to dispatch urgently a high-level fact-finding mission to Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza, where recent Israeli military attacks killed at least 18 civilians, including children and women, said a resolution passed by the 47-state Council. Full Story
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