Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., March 31, 2008 Adar2 25, 5768 | | Israel Time: 02:26 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Southern Front / IDF upping Gaza ground ops in face of heavier rocket fire By Amos Harel The Israel Defense Forces has been broadening its ground operations in Gaza in response to the increase in rocket fire on Israel since Wednesday. During the past three days, two Palestinian gunmen were killed in IDF operations in the Strip, and at least 10 Qassam rockets and 25 mortars were fired at Israel. On Friday, a rocket struck a kibbutz in the western Negev, and the shrapnel hit a kindergarten. No one was injured because the kindergarten teacher rushed the children into the reinforced area when the Color Red missile warning siren sounded. Advertisement There has been a noticeable increase in the number of rockets fired since Wednesday. Most were fired by Islamic Jihad, but smaller groups, like the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, are also involved. Hamas is not believed to be involved. Defense sources say there are several reasons for Islamic Jihad's increased aggression. This includes pressure from within the group, whose militants have seen no action for several weeks. This also serves Islamic Jihad in maintaining its claim to being at the forefront of the "resistance" against Israel, while Hamas is urging calm. Small-scale operations Over the past week, the IDF resumed small-scale ground operations in Gaza - up to battalion-level operations, normally in areas that are no more than one or two kilometers from the border fence. On Thursday night, after the Palestinians fired light weapons several times at farmers in the fields of Kibbutz Ein Hashlosha, a ground force entered the area, and a Hamas gunman was killed in the exchange of fire. There were no Israeli casualties. On Friday night, an armed Palestinian was identified in northern Gaza, and a unit went into the Strip, engaged the gunman and killed him. Security sources said that the policy of restraint is a political decision and the focus of the operations is to intercept gunmen or militants firing rockets. Bookmark to del.icio.us   My land, my country Israeli Arabs mark 32nd Land Day in demonstrations across the country. One voice on Israel It's hard to find differences in U.S. candidates' promises on peace process.

Today Online 'PM passed 20 messages to Assad, but he disappointed us' Responses: 76 Bush: Peace deal by 2009 likely if road map fulfilled Responses: 158 Dutch Jewish group: Anti-Islam film is 'counterproductive' Responses: 171 Editorial: Israel must help Bush, Rice's belated peace effort succeed Responses: 42 More Headlines 00:00 Bush 'optimistic' on 2009 Mideast peace deal 22:17 Israeli Arab leader on Land Day: We'll fight Israel's 'rising fascism' 00:01 Study: 60% of Israel's poor are ultra-Orthodox and Arabs 21:55 Vatican: Islam surpasses Roman Catholicism as world's largest religion 23:56 Barak to bereaved parents: Labor to quit gov't sooner than anticipated 22:33 Genealogy Web site attempts to map out entire Jewish people 01:29 Police: Bnei Brak has by far the highest rate of sexual offenses 20:16 Netanyahu: No substitute for Israeli control in West Bank 22:54 On Israel, Clinton, Obama and McCain all aim to be like Bush 21:42 Gaza protesters demand that Egypt release Hamas militants 21:20 CIA chief: Al-Qaida recruiting 'Western'-looking fighters 00:39 Motor racing body mum as president accused in Nazi role-playing sex scandal 23:17 Dutch Jewish group: Anti-Islam film is 'counterproductive' Previous Editions Select Day 30 mar 28 mar 27 mar 26 mar 25 mar 24 mar 23 mar 21 mar 20 mar 19 mar 18 mar 17 mar

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