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Israel kills leader of Palestinian militants behind Shalit kidnapping Israel kills leader of Palestinian militants behind Shalit kidnapping
(about 6 hours later)
An Israeli air strike has killed the commander of the militant group behind the abduction of the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit and a second militant in Gaza in the highest-profile attack on the coastal strip in months. An Israeli airstrike has killed the commander of the militant group behind the abduction of Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier who was held captive for more than five years and freed in a prisoner swap for more than 1,000 Palestinians.
The Israeli military confirmed Friday's strike, saying the killed commander, Zuhair al-Qaissi, was plotting an infiltration attack on Israel similar to one his group carried out in August that killed eight people and injured 40 more. In a statement, the military warned Gaza's Hamas rulers against any retaliation. The midday attack marked the highest profile Israeli strike against the coastal strip in several months and immediately set off a violent escalation after a period of relative calm.
Hours later, two more militants were killed in an Israeli air strike east of Gaza City, according to the Gaza health ministry official Adham Abu Salmiya. Israel confirmed the attack, saying the two were preparing a rocket attack on Israel. Various Palestinian militant groups fired dozens of rockets, some deep into Israeli territory, prompting Israel to issue warnings to its residents to stay indoors. The Israeli military pounded several rocket-launching cells in Gaza. In all, 10 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes, and one Israeli citizen was seriously wounded by the Palestinian rocket fire.
Palestinian witnesses said Israeli drones were seen hovering above just moments before Qaissi's vehicle exploded into flames in a southern district of Gaza City. The Israeli military said it initially targeted Zuhair al-Qaissi, the commander of the armed wing of the Popular Resistance Committee, a large militant group closely aligned with Gaza's Hamas rulers. The explosion tore apart al-Qaissi's blue sedan and also killed his son-in-law, Mahmoud Hanini – himself a top PRC field commander. Another militant also died.
Qaissi was the top commander of the armed wing of the Popular Resistance Committee, a large militant group aligned with Hamas that was behind the 2006 abduction of Shalit, an Israeli soldier who was held in Gaza for more than five years until he was freed in a prisoner swap last year. A further seven militants were later killed in separate strikes.
The militant group's spokesman confirmed the death of Qaissi, who is also known as Abu Ibrahim. He identified the second casualty as Mahmoud Hanini, who hails from the West Bank and was released from an Israeli prison five years ago and deported to Gaza. The Israeli military said al-Qaissi was plotting an infiltration attack into Israel similar to the one he orchestrated in August from the Sinai peninsula that killed eight Israelis.
"The coward Zionists have committed an ugly crime, and they know the price that they are going to pay," said the spokesman, who goes by the pseudonym Abu Mujahid. It said that al-Qaissi was behind several deadly attacks against Israel, including rocket fire, and he was also in charge of transferring funds from the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah to other militant groups in Gaza.
He suggested retaliation could be on the way. Such strikes often lead to return rocket strikes from Gaza into Israel. "The coward Zionists have committed an ugly crime and they know the price that they are going to pay," said a PRC spokesman.
"We call on our fighters to respond to the Zionist enemy with all our strength," he said. "We shall avenge our leader and the response, God willing, will be equal to the size of the heinous crime." "We call on our fighters to respond to the Zionist enemy with all our strength," he said. "We shall avenge our leader."
The Israeli military insisted it did not want an escalation but said it was "prepared to defend the residents of Israel".The Israeli military insisted it did not want an escalation but said it was "prepared to defend the residents of Israel".
It charged that Hamas was using other groups to carry out attacks and it "will bear the consequences of these actions" if an escalation took place. But it appeared to be getting ready for the worst, issuing a warning to Israeli residents living within 40 kilometers (25 miles) fof Gaza to stay close to home Friday night and refrain from holding major outdoor events on Saturday.
Israel often targets Gaza militants it says are preparing attacks, but tensions have been relatively calm in recent months with Israel mostly targeting smuggling tunnels from Egypt and refraining from targeting individuals. Israel said Hamas was using other groups to carry out attacks in its place and warned that Gaza's rulers "will bear the consequences of these actions" if an escalation took place.
Another Gazan was seriously wounded in the attack. His identity remains unclear.
The Israeli military said Qaissi was behind several deadly attacks against Israel, including rocket fire, and he was also in charge of transferring funds from the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah to other militant groups in Gaza.