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| Two Are Wounded After Israel Orders Airstrike in Gaza | Two Are Wounded After Israel Orders Airstrike in Gaza |
| (7 months later) | |
| JERUSALEM — The Israeli military said it carried out an airstrike in Gaza on Sunday aimed at eliminating an Islamic Jihad operative responsible for recent rocket fire against southern Israel, part of a growing cycle of border clashes in recent weeks that reflect the fragility of the 14-month cease-fire between Israel and the Palestinian coastal enclave. | |
| A Palestinian man who was riding a motorcycle was seriously wounded in the missile strike, and a bystander, a boy of 12, was also hurt, according to a Health Ministry official in Gaza. There was no immediate confirmation from Gaza that the motorcycle rider was Israel’s intended target, though a website close to Islamic Jihad said the wounded man was a member of the group’s armed wing. | A Palestinian man who was riding a motorcycle was seriously wounded in the missile strike, and a bystander, a boy of 12, was also hurt, according to a Health Ministry official in Gaza. There was no immediate confirmation from Gaza that the motorcycle rider was Israel’s intended target, though a website close to Islamic Jihad said the wounded man was a member of the group’s armed wing. |
| An Egyptian-brokered truce between Israel and Hamas, the Islamic militant group that controls Gaza, came into effect in November 2012, ending eight days of fierce fighting. But Israeli and Palestinian analysts say Hamas has become increasingly weakened, isolated and under pressure since last summer, when the military in Egypt ousted President Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood. That has made it less willing to rein in Gaza’s smaller militant groups. | An Egyptian-brokered truce between Israel and Hamas, the Islamic militant group that controls Gaza, came into effect in November 2012, ending eight days of fierce fighting. But Israeli and Palestinian analysts say Hamas has become increasingly weakened, isolated and under pressure since last summer, when the military in Egypt ousted President Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood. That has made it less willing to rein in Gaza’s smaller militant groups. |
| Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel warned on Sunday that his government was “determined to maintain quiet in the south” and would do so by “a policy of preventive action and strong reaction against those who try to harm us or who harm us.” | Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel warned on Sunday that his government was “determined to maintain quiet in the south” and would do so by “a policy of preventive action and strong reaction against those who try to harm us or who harm us.” |
| “I suggest that Hamas take our policy into account,” he added. | “I suggest that Hamas take our policy into account,” he added. |
| The Israeli military said the target of its attack on Sunday was Ahmad Saad, who was “personally responsible” for launching five rockets toward the Israeli coastal city of Ashkelon on Thursday night. The rockets were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system and caused no injury or damage, but it was the first time in 14 months that rockets had been fired at a major Israeli population center. In an immediate response, the Israeli military bombed four sites in Gaza, including what it described as an underground rocket-launcher and a weapon storage site. | The Israeli military said the target of its attack on Sunday was Ahmad Saad, who was “personally responsible” for launching five rockets toward the Israeli coastal city of Ashkelon on Thursday night. The rockets were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system and caused no injury or damage, but it was the first time in 14 months that rockets had been fired at a major Israeli population center. In an immediate response, the Israeli military bombed four sites in Gaza, including what it described as an underground rocket-launcher and a weapon storage site. |
| In Gaza, experts said they believed that Islamic Jihad was behind the rocket salvo on Thursday and that it was a response to an Israeli Army raid in the West Bank city of Hebron a day earlier, when troops arrested a senior member of the movement and his brother. | In Gaza, experts said they believed that Islamic Jihad was behind the rocket salvo on Thursday and that it was a response to an Israeli Army raid in the West Bank city of Hebron a day earlier, when troops arrested a senior member of the movement and his brother. |
| In 2013, nearly 50 rockets were fired out of Gaza into southern Israel, and the Israeli Air Force carried out 10 attacks, striking 24 sites, according to the military. So far this year, 12 rockets have been launched, and Israel has carried out six airstrikes, hitting a dozen targets. | In 2013, nearly 50 rockets were fired out of Gaza into southern Israel, and the Israeli Air Force carried out 10 attacks, striking 24 sites, according to the military. So far this year, 12 rockets have been launched, and Israel has carried out six airstrikes, hitting a dozen targets. |
| There has been an increase in Israeli incursions, Palestinian militant activity and skirmishes between troops and Palestinian protesters along the border. | There has been an increase in Israeli incursions, Palestinian militant activity and skirmishes between troops and Palestinian protesters along the border. |
| Mr. Netanyahu told reporters last week that Israel would not “let the drizzle of rockets accumulate to a rain which then develops into a storm.” | Mr. Netanyahu told reporters last week that Israel would not “let the drizzle of rockets accumulate to a rain which then develops into a storm.” |
| In a separate development on Sunday, Israel began a process of returning the remains of up to 36 Palestinians who were killed in confrontations with Israelis and buried in numbered graves in Israel, after the victims’ families petitioned Israel’s High Court. | In a separate development on Sunday, Israel began a process of returning the remains of up to 36 Palestinians who were killed in confrontations with Israelis and buried in numbered graves in Israel, after the victims’ families petitioned Israel’s High Court. |
| An Israeli official said the first five or six bodies would be transferred to the Palestinian authorities and returned to their relatives in the coming days. | An Israeli official said the first five or six bodies would be transferred to the Palestinian authorities and returned to their relatives in the coming days. |
| In May 2012 Israel returned the remains of 91 Palestinians, most of them killed while carrying out attacks against Israelis, to the West Bank and Gaza in a move described as a good-will gesture to help bring the Palestinians back to peace talks. | In May 2012 Israel returned the remains of 91 Palestinians, most of them killed while carrying out attacks against Israelis, to the West Bank and Gaza in a move described as a good-will gesture to help bring the Palestinians back to peace talks. |