This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/22/world/middleeast/rockets-from-gaza-draw-israeli-airstrikes.html

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Rockets From Gaza Draw Israeli Airstrikes Rockets Fired From Gaza Draw Airstrikes From Israel
(about 4 hours later)
JERUSALEM — Seven rockets fired from the Gaza Strip landed in southern Israel on Monday morning, prompting Israeli airstrikes that hit at least one training site of Hamas, the militant Palestinian faction that rules Gaza.JERUSALEM — Seven rockets fired from the Gaza Strip landed in southern Israel on Monday morning, prompting Israeli airstrikes that hit at least one training site of Hamas, the militant Palestinian faction that rules Gaza.
The exchange of fire between Palestinian militants and Israeli forces was the most significant clash in more than a month, and came as Jews celebrated the last day of Passover. Combined with recent violence in the Old City of Jerusalem and in the West Bank, the exchange increased tensions as Washington was struggling to salvage peace talks before an approaching deadline on April 29. The exchange of fire between Palestinian militants and Israeli forces, as Jews celebrated the last day of Passover, was the most significant clash in more than a month. Combined with recent violence in the Old City of Jerusalem and in the West Bank, the exchange increased tensions as Washington was struggling to salvage peace talks before a deadline next Tuesday.
Two Hamas security officers were slightly injured by one of the three airstrikes in the early afternoon, according to Gaza’s health ministry. No injuries were reported in Israel. One rocket damaged a road in the Israeli border town of Sderot, one of several communities where residents were warned to be on alert as they went about their holiday barbecues, hikes and prayers. Two Hamas security officers were slightly injured by one of the three airstrikes in the early afternoon, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. No injuries were reported in Israel. One rocket damaged a road in the Israeli border town of Sderot, one of several communities where residents were warned to be on alert as they went about their holiday barbecues, hikes and prayers.
“Israeli civilians celebrating the Passover holiday woke up this morning to the sound of code-red alarms and rockets,” Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces, said in a statement released after the airstrikes. “It is our obligation to seek out and target those who wish to attack our civilians and soldiers and to eliminate their capabilities.” “On this day, the day of our holiday, our enemies fired rockets into our communities,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday evening, according to a message circulated by his press office. “Our policy is clear — to respond immediately and with force. We harm whoever comes to harm us. That is how we have acted and how we will continue to act.”
No specific group claimed responsibility for the rocket fire on Monday. Even so, Colonel Lerner said that “Hamas rocket terrorism is an intolerable reality Israelis should not have to accept.” Israel generally holds Hamas responsible for all activities in Gaza, but Hamas has been holding its fire lately; on March 12, a different militant group, Islamic Jihad, sent a barrage of more than 100 rockets toward Israel in under an hour. No specific group claimed responsibility for the rocket fire on Monday, which came in three waves, at about 8:30 a.m., 10:15 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., according to a statement from the Israeli military. An antitank missile was also fired at Israeli troops patrolling the fence separating southern Gaza from Israel around 7:15 a.m., the statement said, and an explosive device was detonated near Israeli soldiers in the same area the night before.
The seven rockets on Monday hit Israel in three waves, at about 8:30 a.m., 10:15 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., Colonel Lerner said. The military statement said that an anti-tank missile had also been fired, aimed at Israeli troops patrolling the fence separating southern Gaza from Israel around 7:15 a.m., and that an explosive device was detonated near Israeli soldiers in the same area the night before. The exchange with Gaza followed days of clashes outside Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem that led to the arrests of 24 Palestinian men. Micky Rosenfeld, a spokesman for the Israeli police, said 16 of the Palestinians were suspected of throwing “rocks and boulders” at police officers on Sunday morning, when Jews made holiday pilgrimages to the site they call the Temple Mount and that Muslims revere as the Noble Sanctuary. The eight others were charged with throwing stones and firecrackers during a similar clash on Friday, Mr. Rosenfeld said.
The exchange with Gaza came after days of clashes outside Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem that led to the arrests of 24 Palestinian men. Micky Rosenfeld, a spokesman for the Israeli police, said that 16 of the Palestinians were suspected of throwing “rocks and boulders” at police officers on Sunday morning, when Jews made holiday pilgrimages to the site they call the Temple Mount and that Muslims revere as the Noble Sanctuary. The other eight were charged with throwing stones and firecrackers during a similar clash on Friday, Mr. Rosenfeld said. Jordan, which shares control of Al Aqsa with the Palestinians, lodged a complaint with Israel on Monday, summoning Israel’s ambassador in Amman to the Foreign Ministry. The Jordanian state news agency reported that officials said the actions by the Israeli police and Jewish visitors had violated international law and the peace treaty between the two nations, and were damaging to their relations.
Jordan, which shares control over Al Aqsa with the Palestinians, lodged a complaint with Israel Monday, summoning Israel's ambassador in Amman to the foreign ministry. The Jordanian state news agency reported that officials said the actions by Israeli police and Jewish visitors violated international law and the peace treaty between the two nations, and were damaging to their relations. At the beginning of the Passover holiday last week, an Israeli police commander was fatally shot as he and his family drove to a Seder in a West Bank settlement. The day after his funeral, Israeli and Palestinian negotiators met for several hours trying to reach an agreement to extend American-brokered peace negotiations past the April 29 deadline. The negotiators are expected to reconvene this week, amid renewed threats by Palestinian leaders that they might dissolve the Palestinian Authority, forcing Israel to take responsibility for its residents.
At the beginning of the weeklong Passover holiday last Monday evening, an Israeli police commander was fatally shot as he and his family drove to a Seder in a West Bank settlement. The day after his funeral, Israeli and Palestinian negotiators met for several hours trying to reach an agreement to extend American-brokered peace negotiations past the current deadline of April 29. The negotiators are expected to reconvene this week. Jen Psaki, a spokeswoman for the State Department, warned Monday against “that type of extreme step.” Noting that the United States had contributed “millions of dollars” to help build Palestinian institutions, she said a dissolution of the authority “would obviously have very serious implications for our relationship, including our assistance going forward.”
At the same time, Palestinian leaders are trying again to mend the long rift between Hamas and the Fatah faction, which dominates the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization. A Fatah delegation planned to travel as soon as Tuesday to Gaza, where Moussa Abu Marzouk, a Cairo-based Hamas leader, arrived on Monday to meet with the Hamas prime minister, Ismail Haniyeh, signifying a more serious reconciliation effort than some of the failed past efforts.