Special report: Israel launches Gaza
assault
JERUSALEM, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are operating in
the Gaza Strip to prevent Palestinian militants from launching rocket firings as
the fatal Wednesday attack killed an Israeli woman, a military spokeswoman told
Xinhua on Thursday.
The spokeswoman confirmed that Israel Air Force (IAF) carried out five
aerial attacks against Palestinian militant's targets in Gaza overnight, but
refused to clarify whether IDF military actions in Gaza will be restricted to
only air strikes or not.
"In the past few months, we have been trying to stop these Qassam rocket
attacks launched on daily basis," she said.
However, Qassam rockets fired from Gaza continue to strike Israel's western
Negev on Thursday morning, one day after an Israeli woman was killed and two
others were seriously wounded by rocket attacks on the Israeli town of Sderot.
The rockets did not cause casualties or damage. Hamas has claimed its
responsibility for the attacks.
Israeli army sources said that most of the 19 rockets fired on Wednesday
were launched from the area around the northern Gazatown of Beit Hanoun, from
where the IDF withdrew last week following a six-day incursion.
Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz on Wednesday consulted with senior
defense officials after the deadly Sderot attack, and decided the IDF should
step up its operations against the Qassam launch sites in Gaza.
But defense sources said no major ground operation would be carried out in
Gaza in response and even a smaller operation focused on the area, from which
the rockets were launched, was unlikely.
Peretz also decided against resuming artillery fire on Gaza, which was
stopped after errant shells killed 19 civilians in Beit Hanoun last week.
In response to the deadly Qassam attack, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert
said that he had consulted with Peretz. "The operation in Gaza will continue
without a break ... and we will decide on additional steps to fight this
murderous terror."
