Rocket Attacks Escalate; IDF Targets Over 60 Terror Sites in Gaza Overnight

Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal
Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal

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The IDF continued airstrikes on terror targets in Gaza overnight reporting over 60 terror sites targeting and over 70 rockets fired into Israel overnight into Wednesday morning. IDF spokesman Peter Lerner stated Wednesday afternoon, “Since Hamas breached the ceasefire almost 24 hours ago, over 137 rockets were launched; 94 hit Israel & 24 were intercepted by Iron Dome.”

The IDF has called up 2,000 reservists as the situation with Gaza escalates.

The armed wing of Fatah, the Abdul Wader Husseini Brigades, the movement that by Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas is a member of, claimed responsibility for two rockets fired at Ashkelon this morning. The military wing

An IDF senior official confirmed attempts to assassinate Muhammad Deif, a Hamas military wing commander. Reports from Gaza claim that in the attempt via airstrike, both Deif’s infant son and wife were killed. Dief was described as “like Bin Laden… an arch-murderer” by Interior Minister Gideo Sa’ar and that “if an opportunity to liquidate him presents itself, it should be taken.”

Sa’ar additionally stated “You can achieve quiet through a war of attrition, or through a ground operation into Gaza City.”

Speaking at his funeral, Hamas official and member of delegation to Cairo talks Izzat al-Rishq stated, “My brother, I salute you and your resistance and perseverance and the sweet blood you’ve shed. Blessed be the martyrdom of your wife and son. May they follow the convoy of martyrs fallen in battles past, present and future.”

Public Security Minister Yitzchak Aharonovitch assured Israeli reported that the assassination attempt would “see results” and that “Israel will continue to strike heads of terror organizations wherever they may be. They are not immune.”

Reports earlier this week claimed that Hamas was seeking Turkey or Qatar as mediator for negotiations. A high-ranking Fatah official in Qatar reportedly threatened to remove Hamas political chief Khaled Mashaal if was to agree to the Egyptian mediated truce.

Israel’s security cabinet is set to meet at 2:00pm to discuss the current situation and escalation with Gaza.

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

AmirTsarfatiAmir Tsarfati, a Jewish Christian, is the founder and president of Behold Israel, a news site to correct the scarcity in trustworthy reportage on issues and events impacting Israel, and to resolve the uncertainty about who or what to believe.

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