The Israeli strikes against Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza continued after a missile struck the Israeli city of Ashkelon with two Hamas jihadists dying. This brings the total of these new rounds of fighting to 11 dead.
I would say that the only way this death tally is going to subside or stop is when missile going into Israel stop - which I don't see happening until the Israelis hit a leader of Hamas.
Here's the full story.
I would say that the only way this death tally is going to subside or stop is when missile going into Israel stop - which I don't see happening until the Israelis hit a leader of Hamas.
Here's the full story.
Israeli Strikes Kill 11 in Gaza
By IBRAHIM BARZAK
Associated Press Writer
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - Israeli troops on a night mission in the Gaza Strip killed two Hamas gunmen early Friday as Israel responded to Palestinian rocket fire with strikes against militants that left 11 dead in 24 hours.
The simmering conflict between Israel and Gaza's armed groups has escalated less than a week before President Bush's visit to the region, overshadowing peace efforts and increasing the chances of a full-scale armed conflict in Gaza.
On Thursday, Palestinian militants hit Israel with a Katyusha rocket, a weapon with a deadlier warhead and longer range than the smaller rockets militants regularly launch. It hit in the northern part of the town of Ashkelon, the longest reach yet for a Palestinian rocket.
The Israelis hit back Thursday with airstrikes and ground operations that killed nine people, including three civilians. On Friday infantrymen inside Gaza, near the Israeli border, clashed with Hamas gunmen and killed two of them, according to Hamas and Palestinian medical officials.
Troops saw armed men approaching them and opened fire, the military said.
Thursday's rocket strike caused no casualties, but Israel considers it an escalation, government spokesman David Baker said.
"The Palestinians have attacked a major Israeli city ... and thus have upped the ante. Israel will not allow any cities to be attacked by Palestinian rocket fire," Baker said.
Israel's military has been limiting its response to airstrikes and short incursions by infantry and armored forces, a tactic that has left scores of militants dead with minimal Israeli casualties but has failed to stop the rocket fire.
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