Subscribe to Print Edition | Sat., December 20, 2008 Kislev 23, 5769 | | Israel Time: 16:00 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate GA 2008 Travel Week's End Anglo File
Comments:  131
Last update - 05:17 18/12/2008
IAF strikes targets in Gaza in response to Qassam fire
By Yanir Yagna, Haaretz Correspondent, and Haaretz Service
Tags: israel news, cease-fire 

The Israel Air Force struck targets in the Gaza Strip late Wednesday night, hours after Gaza militants fired 24 Qassam rockets at Israel.

The first strike targeted a weapons factory in the Jabaliya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip and the second hit an arms factory in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip.

All aircraft and personnel returned to Israel safely.
Advertisement
Earlier on Wednesday Prime Minister Ehud Olmert stopped short of pledging retaliation for a surge of Qassam rockets that pelted the western Negev on Wednesday, saying "there can't be a situation where there is a truce, but the situation on the ground is very different."

"This demands a response, and there will be a response," he added.

Olmert spoke just days before the six-month cease fire agreement between Israel and Hamas, the rulers of the Gaza Strip, was set to expire.


One rocket fired Wednesday struck a parking lot adjacent to a supermarket in the southern town of Sderot. Three people sustained shrapnel wounds and nine others were treated for shock.

The militant Palestinian group Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the rocket attack.

"My whole body shook and I couldn't stand up," said Anat Edri, an eyewitness in Sderot, to Army Radio. "I heard the warning system siren, and our home is not protected. I went out to the balcony and I saw it, like a spinning top in the air, making a very loud whistling sound. I yelled out and called to my daughter, who was in the house. I stayed to watch the Qassam fly over my house and hit the commercial center."

Shortly thereafter, the Israel Air Force renewed air strikes against rocket squads, aiming at launchers in northern Gaza on Wednesday, the military said. Palestinian hospital officials said a 47-year-old man was killed when a missile hit his house and a balcony collapsed on him.

Earlier Wednesday, two rockets exploded near Ashkelon. Two people were treated at the nearby Barzilai Medical Center for hearing loss following the strike.

Another rocket hit an open area in the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council, and another struck just south of Ashkelon. The rest exploded in open areas in the Eshkol area. There were no damages or injuries reported in the incidents.

On Tuesday, militants fired 11 rockets and a mortar shell at the western Negev. One of the rockets exploded in a soccer field next to Sapir College in Sderot. There were no injuries, but several people were treated for shock.

Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the rockets fired on Tuesday, saying they were a response to the Israel Defense Forces' killing of a top group commander in the West Bank earlier in the day.

Jihad has threatened to increase its cross-border rocket fire, despite the days remaining in the ruce. "Our rockets will not stop and it will be like the rain over all the Zionist towns around the Gaza Strip," said Abu Hamza, a spokesman for the Palestinian militant group.

Hamas has in recent days arrested several members of the smaller Palestinian factions responsible for the rocket fire. While the group's leaders announced Tuesday that they did not intend to renew the cease-fire, they also said they would not fire at Israel unless provoked.

Related articles:
  • Jurists tell Barak: Don't shell Gaza population centers
  • Jihad says 'rockets will rain on Israel' as 7 Qassams hit Negev
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Bride and prejudice
    Head of Palestinian clan offers Iraqi shoe-throwing journalist his daughter and a dowry.
    Unconventional war
    U.S. report: Hezbollah guerillas fought Israel better than any Arab army.
      1.   Is this a satirical headline? 09:20  |  Ofer 17/12/08
      2.   Palestinians step up war crimes, NGOs stay silent 09:28  |  Joe Sittizen 17/12/08
      3.   Does israel plan to switch name to IRUN 09:32  |  sad 17/12/08
      4.   Just in time for Hanukkah 09:53  |  observer 17/12/08
      5.   Thanks for the clarification 09:58  |  Rowan Berkeley 17/12/08
      6.   Israel started this round of tit for tat, probably deliberately. 10:15  |  Michael 17/12/08
      7.   Response to the IDF`s killing of a top commander. 10:47  |  Michael 17/12/08
      8.   modesty 11:07  |  mother leah 17/12/08
      9.   Michael playing children`s games of `he started..`. 11:40  |  x-ray 17/12/08
      10.   To Michael 12:01  |  Ofer 17/12/08
      11.   Hamas in Gaza has build up tremendously its firepower 12:02  |  Jean Van Daem 17/12/08
      12.   what truce? 12:04  |  sam 17/12/08
      13.   Michael - the WB has nothing to do with Hamas 12:11  |  Hannah 17/12/08
      14.   cry again 12:22  |  Hirz 17/12/08
      15.   Hebron 12:24  |  Fredy Ross 17/12/08
      16.   Fredy Ross 10. Yes. 12:54  |  Michael 17/12/08
      17.   #8 What are you smoking, Hannah? 12:55  |  Johnboy 17/12/08
      18.   Michael is a Jewish name 13:50  |  x-ray 17/12/08
      19.   Qassams 14:11  |  DT 17/12/08
      20.   Where is the Leftist government? 14:13  |  Brod 17/12/08
      21.   15 X-Ray. Yes to all that. 14:13  |  Michael 17/12/08
      22.   Michael - 14:25  |  x-ray 17/12/08
      23.   X-Ray 21 14:42  |  Michael 17/12/08
      24.   At the bottom line 14:49  |  Mark Lincoln 17/12/08
      25.   11 qassams hit Negev. 14:50  |  David Nigel Braham 17/12/08
      26.   shut off electricity, no medicine, no food, NOTHING 15:04  |  moyankit 17/12/08
      27.   The latest 3D bomb 15:09  |  Dr D 17/12/08
      28.   Kadima is as good as the "truce" 15:10  |  not You 17/12/08
      29.   just warming up 15:12  |  Calvin Grinder 17/12/08
      30.   The truce never started 15:32  |  Zev 17/12/08
      31.   What is Israel waiting for? 15:46  |  Angel 17/12/08
      32.   Those who oppossed the disengagement from GAZA said: 15:48  |  Avi 17/12/08
      33.   Johnboy - uh, Islamic Jihad - not Hamas. 15:55  |  Hannah 17/12/08
      34.   Mark Lincoln, the ball is hardly in Israel`s side of the court 16:13  |  Hannah 17/12/08
      35.   ISRAEL MUST NOT WAIT 48HRS TO RESPOND.... THE TIME IS NOW! 16:43  |  dp 17/12/08
      36.   Palistinians loose the high ground 17:03  |  zaz 17/12/08
      37.   bomb .them back 17:12  |  chelly 17/12/08
      38.   25 David. What would happen if Pals killed an IDF commander? 17:52  |  Michael 17/12/08
      39.   #16 Michael, I am fifth generation Sabra you know very little for 18:03  |  Big Sur 17/12/08
      40.   Quick, arrest some settlers !! 18:09  |  Jimmy Dhimmi 17/12/08
      41.   38 Michael what would happen if the Palis took an IDF soldier 18:15  |  Big Sur 17/12/08
      42.   #41 18:26  |  jo 17/12/08
      43.   #42 thanx for confirming Nothing happened. 18:35  |  Big Sur 17/12/08
      44.   Sur 41 You`ve got to be joking! 18:36  |  Michael 17/12/08
      45.   Sur 39. I was asked, so I replied. 18:39  |  Michael 17/12/08
      46.   Michael #44 Really? 18:43  |  Big Sur 17/12/08
      47.   1 Launcher = 5 $US 19:00  |  Michael 17/12/08
      48.   Mike try this out Jo u 2 19:04  |  Big Sur 17/12/08
      49.   we go in when the parents of our soldiers encourage the state 19:08  |  harzion 17/12/08
      50.   Michael are you unsure where you are???? 19:09  |  Big Sur 17/12/08
      51.   Israel Needs To Use an Iron Fist To End Ths War 19:12  |  Geno 17/12/08
      52.   Sur 46. You seem confused. 19:15  |  Michael 17/12/08
      53.   Sur 50. Ever thought there might be more than one Michael? LOL 19:24  |  Michael 17/12/08
      54.   Between the Courts and Kadima 19:26  |  Ron 17/12/08
      55.   Michael not even 1000 but you are right I am confused 19:27  |  Big Sur 17/12/08
      56.   Take Hamas Out!! 19:28  |  Bill Foonman 17/12/08
      57.   Michael form one place or another 19:30  |  Big Sur 17/12/08
      58.   Just go to WBank and kill 2 Jihad members 19:34  |  so simple 17/12/08
      59.   to Michael #23 19:34  |  observer 17/12/08
      60.   An Easy Equation - No IDF Killings= No Qassams 19:35  |  chet 17/12/08
      61.   EGYPT, OPEN YOUR GATES! 19:47  |  observer 17/12/08
      62.   Chet - easy equation - jusrt go to WB and kill 2 19:47  |  17 17/12/08
      63.   Barak as usual let citizens of Sderot suffer from attacks 19:57  |  Judea 17/12/08
      64.   Our rockets will not stop and it will be like the rain 19:57  |  peter 17/12/08
      65.   Barak allows this charade to continue He needs to resign now 20:06  |  Kipperraes 17/12/08
      66.   Relocate the cabinet to Sderot now 20:06  |  a tenant 17/12/08
      67.   PUT THIS ON YOUTUBE 20:11  |  Arik Silverman 17/12/08
      68.   Three people wounded as Qassam strikes Sdero 20:22  |  Joshua 17/12/08
      69.   Hit Them Back Israel 20:32  |  Yosemite 17/12/08
      70.   11 Qassams hit Negev 20:34  |  Robert Wheeldon 17/12/08
      71.   Israel Missing Great PR Opportunity 20:45  |  Jasper 17/12/08
      72.   So the Village Idiot has figured out no truce with Kassams! 20:45  |  IW 17/12/08
      73.   Deja Vu 20:46  |  Philippe 17/12/08
      74.   Cowed Israelis "bombed Qassam crews" but with dud warheads,lest 20:52  |  Absolute Sweden 17/12/08
      75.   Israelis just don`t get it 20:58  |  jo 17/12/08
      76.   Let`s face the truth 21:06  |  H 17/12/08
      77.   To: Jo 21:09  |  Angel 17/12/08
      78.   Real Jewish Values-They Must Be Bombed 21:11  |  Yerachmiel Greif 17/12/08
      79.   Profundity from P.M. Olmert 21:24  |  David K 17/12/08
      80.   enough is enough 21:33  |  stop this now 17/12/08
      81.   `Dutch`: Be prepare to cry "IMMORAL". Your Terrorists will have.. 21:44  |  Vittorio 17/12/08
      82.   Maybe Amira Hass, 21:45  |  Robert Haymond 17/12/08
      83.   parking lot adjacent to a supermarket 21:49  |  vik 17/12/08
      84.   Mr.Puff 21:52  |  blahh,blahh. 17/12/08
      85.   #75 Jo you got that wrong again where is Egypt in all this 22:06  |  Big Sur 17/12/08
      86.   stop talking and act. 22:13  |  NOW 17/12/08
      87.   Here we Go Again WIth More BS ! 22:15  |  Gary 17/12/08
      88.   ol merde is going to shower gaza with brown envelopes 22:23  |  victor hardman 17/12/08
      89.   Yes there will be a response, another qassam attack etc. etc. 22:25  |  cheresh elaim evair 17/12/08
      90.   there will be ONE just one response and that`s at Haaretz talkbac 22:33  |  nuchem 17/12/08
      91.   "stopped short of pledging retaliation" 22:37  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 17/12/08
      92.   Look at this! Chanukah in a few days, romans, strong,we`re strong 22:43  |  Big Sur 17/12/08
      93.   Wow.. Olmert is getting serious... 22:44  |  Daniel 17/12/08
      94.   This is ridiculous... 23:03  |  Nemesis 17/12/08
      95.   Jo #18 23:06  |  Jasper 17/12/08
      96.   Hamas is not scared of Olmert & Barak but these 2 can`t see that 23:26  |  Judea 17/12/08
      97.   Ok everbody that does it. Now I am really angry, yes, 23:27  |  Ehud Olmert, your PM 17/12/08
      98.   All talk Mr Olmert, do something then, but stop holding back 00:06  |  harvey 18/12/08
      99.   #96, hamas will be begging for a cease-fire 00:20  |  Gary 18/12/08
      100.   What a Funny Headline!! 00:57  |  marat 18/12/08
      101.   #85` 01:29  |  jo 18/12/08
      102.   Tracking Qassams and Responding 01:35  |  Jeffrey 18/12/08
      103.   Answer to Michael?s question #7 01:40  |  Stephen in New York 18/12/08
      104.   A message for Olmert 01:44  |  Connie 18/12/08
      105.   Response For #62 17 - Subjugation Is The Issue 02:19  |  chet 18/12/08
      106.   Of course Chet, `provocation"means 02:48  |  Kumar 18/12/08
      107.   Johnboy-#17-Moral equivalence 03:10  |  Daniel Leopold 18/12/08
      108.   Mark Lincoln 03:39  |  TonyL 18/12/08
      109.   To attack or Not? 04:02  |  Moshe 18/12/08
      110.   #5 ROWAN BERKELEY 04:11  |  Giora 18/12/08
      111.   Too true Judea 04:42  |  Mark Lincoln 18/12/08
      112.   Chet in Canada 04:48  |  Sean 18/12/08
      113.   Michael 04:50  |  Brad 18/12/08
      114.   Jo 04:54  |  Brad 18/12/08
      115.   Disengenous Michael 04:59  |  Brad 18/12/08
      116.   What Kind Of "Response", Olmert? 05:09  |  Jeff Northridge 18/12/08
      117.   The right is so delighted at having defeated 05:32  |  Mark Lincoln 18/12/08
      118.   Mother Leah #8 05:43  |  Sean 18/12/08
      119.   Rowan B #5 08:19  |  sharon 18/12/08
      120.   Palestinian primitive rockets 08:26  |  Avinash 18/12/08
      121.   Daniel Leopold on moral equivalence... 08:42  |  BBSNews 18/12/08
      122.   #107 Diplomacy involves moral decisions?!?!?! 08:45  |  Johnboy 18/12/08
      123.   Olmert should stop battering apeople already tore apart by Israel 09:00  |  Dutch 18/12/08
      124.   Israel is attacking a civil society and its infrastructure 09:08  |  Dutch 18/12/08
      125.   BSNews and his "brutal siege" 09:38  |  SDHD 18/12/08
      126.   #16 Michael 11:38  |  El_Justiciero 18/12/08
      127.   #125, SDHD trots out the party line...yet again! 17:40  |  Silvienne 18/12/08
      128.   hamas 19:22  |  rm 18/12/08
      129.   observer, why not just come out and say it? 04:16  |  BBSNews 19/12/08
      130.   SNY describes a jihadi under every bed... 04:44  |  BBSNews 19/12/08
      131.   Palestinian rockets 07:56  |  Abdullah Ginsberg 19/12/08
     Read & React
    Rice: Renewed Gaza violence will not help Palestinian cause
    Responses: 263
    Daniel Levy: Gaza likely to turn into Somalia if Israel continues siege
    Responses: 58
    U.S. report: Hezbollah fought Israel better than any Arab army
    Responses: 167
    Shady land deal unfolds from West Bank to California strip mall
    Responses: 46
    Immigrant IAF pilot fights to be recognized as a Jew
    Responses: 34


    More Headlines
    15:30 IAF strike kills militant in Gaza Strip rocket squad
    15:43 Tony Blair: Israel's options are difficult, but Gaza is not staying still
    08:35 Rice: Renewed Gaza violence will not help Palestinian cause
    15:44 ANALYSIS / Has the Gaza cease-fire really breathed its last?
    08:40 Will Obama press Israel to allow nuclear inspection of Dimona reactor?
    09:15 Executive arrested in N.Y. over Iranian nuclear funding scheme
    15:08 Activists' boat arrives in Gaza, in fresh attempt to break Israeli blockade
    20:29 Want to help improve the Haaretz.com homepage?
    15:51 Pilots blame gov`t for poor Israel flight safety rating
    07:08 ANALYSIS / Barak's restraint in Gaza is a huge elections gamble
    02:09 Bush: Mideast peace talks have yielded progress
    09:21 Head of Palestinian clan offers Iraqi shoe-throwing journalist a bride
    14:33 Rare first century half shekel coin found in Temple Mount dirt
    12:06 Is Russian-Israeli tycoon Arcadi Gaydamak leaving Israel for good?
    09:36 U.S. report: Hezbollah fought Israel better than any Arab army
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Summer in Israel
    Israeli style - Tzofim Chetz V'Keshet 2009
    Summer Camp in Israel
    The best place for your children this summer
    Living in Israel Studying in English
    Click & Meet our students from all around the world
    Fattal Hotel Chain
    Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
    Car rental in Israel
    Shlomo Sixt Receive $15.00 from our low rates.
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
    Jewish Singles Personal Ads
    Find the love of your life on JDate.com
    Hebrew Summer courses
    From $39.95
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |
    Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel
    birthright Israel | Search engine marketing
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved