Israel-Gaza border ignites after botched incursion; 4 dead

By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Dan Williams

 

Flames rise after a rocket attack in Sderot, near the Israeli side of the Israel-Gaza border, November 12, 2018. REUTERS/ Amir Cohen

 

GAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Palestinian militants on Monday carried out their most intensive shelling of Israel since the 2014 Gaza war in retaliation for a botched cross-border commando raid, drawing Israeli air strikes against Hamas' television station and other targets.

 

The flare-up, in which three Palestinian gunmen and a civilian in Israel were killed, threatened to derail efforts by the United Nations, Egypt and Qatar to broker a long-term truce and head off another major conflict in the impoverished enclave.

 

Hamas, Gaza's dominant Islamist movement, and other armed factions launched more than 300 rockets or mortar bombs across the border after carrying out a surprise guided-missile attack on a bus that wounded an Israeli soldier, the military said.

 

Sirens in southern Israeli towns and the port of Ashkelon sent residents rushing to bomb shelters. Several homes were hit.

 

Israel responded with dozens of air strikes against Gaza buildings including a Hamas intelligence compound and the Al-Aqsa Television studios, whose employees had received advance warnings from the military to evacuate.

 

Egypt urged Israel to back down. The United States, whose peace mediation has been stalled since 2014, condemned Hamas.

 

"The escalation in the past 24 hours is EXTREMELY dangerous and reckless," tweeted Nickolay Mladenov, a U.N. Middle East envoy. "Rockets must STOP, restraint must be shown by all!"

 

Violence has simmered since Palestinians launched weekly border protests on March 30 to demand the easing of a blockade on Gaza and rights to lands lost in the 1948 war of Israel's founding. Israeli troops have killed more that 220 Palestinians during the confrontations, which have included border breaches.

 

A Qatari cash infusion of $15 million last week appeared to dampen Gazan anger. On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he hoped to reach an "arrangement" to avoid another Gaza war and ease Palestinian economic hardship.

 

But hours later, a botched incursion by undercover Israeli troops in Gaza led to fighting that killed a Hamas commander, six other Palestinian militants and an Israeli colonel.

 

"In response to yesterday's crime, the joint command of Palestinian factions announce the beginning of bombardment of the enemy's settlements with scores of rockets," Hamas said in a statement on Monday.

 

In an apparent attempt to defuse tensions, Israel's military spokesman said the special forces had not been dispatched to assassinate Hamas commanders, a tactic that led to wider conflict in the past and which has largely been abandoned.

 

Israeli media reports suggested the raid was mounted to gather intelligence.

 

Hamas, which is branded a terrorist group in the West, and Israel have fought three wars in the last decade and neither side appeared keen to precipitate another full-on conflict.

 

On Monday, Palestinian factions placed the onus on Israel to cease fire, saying they were prepared to increase the range of rocket fire for as long as the air barrage on Gaza persisted.

 

But the Israelis, jarred by dozens of civilian casualties in their border communities, appeared set on deterring Hamas.

 

Brigadier-General Ronen Manelis, Israel's military spokesman, said Hamas was "leading Gaza to ruin" and that Israeli attacks on it would "intensify to the degree required".

 

(Additional reporting by Jeffrey Heller in Jerusalem; Editing by David Stamp, John Stonestreet and Cynthia Osterman)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-11-13

So just as it seems like there might be some kind of agreement to lessen hostilities, the Israelis make some botched incursion.  Brilliant!

12 hours ago, webfact said:

 

Brigadier-General Ronen Manelis, Israel's military spokesman, said Hamas was "leading Gaza to ruin" and that Israeli attacks on it would "intensify to the degree required".

...to ensure Gaza’s ruin. 

1 hour ago, Trouble said:

So just as it seems like there might be some kind of agreement to lessen hostilities, the Israelis make some botched incursion.  Brilliant!

 

Efforts to achieve some sort of agreement to "lessen hostilities" have been going on for weeks, if not months. Without taking away from Israel's "contribution" to the current conflagration, it isn't as if the other side didn't engage in such, even as recently as last week. Here are a few examples:

 

Hamas fires rockets, Israel bombs Gaza despite talk of truce

https://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL5N1V00I5

 

Israel Strikes Gaza After a Rocket Is Fired

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/17/world/middleeast/israel-gaza-rocket-hamas.html

 

Blaze Starts in Israeli Greenhouse Near Gaza After Palestinian Breaches Border Fence

https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/palestinians/.premium-palestinian-breaches-gaza-border-fence-and-sets-israeli-greenhouse-on-fire-1.6636867

 

35 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

...to ensure Gaza’s ruin. 

 

Not really. Overall, and in light of the number of rockets launched from the Gaza Strip, the Israeli actions are somewhat less than expected. Certainly not on par with previous clashes. Israel doesn't have anything to gain from Gaza's "ruin", quite the opposite.

 

Current reports suggest mediation offers (mostly handled by Egypt) are on the right track, so if nothing goes boom in the next few days, the unofficial ceasefire negotiations may resume. That said, there's Friday...

6 hours ago, Morch said:

 

Efforts to achieve some sort of agreement to "lessen hostilities" have been going on for weeks, if not months. Without taking away from Israel's "contribution" to the current conflagration, it isn't as if the other side didn't engage in such, even as recently as last week. Here are a few examples:

 

Hamas fires rockets, Israel bombs Gaza despite talk of truce

https://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL5N1V00I5

 

Israel Strikes Gaza After a Rocket Is Fired

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/17/world/middleeast/israel-gaza-rocket-hamas.html

 

Blaze Starts in Israeli Greenhouse Near Gaza After Palestinian Breaches Border Fence

https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/palestinians/.premium-palestinian-breaches-gaza-border-fence-and-sets-israeli-greenhouse-on-fire-1.6636867

 

You don't start a war over a vandalized greenhouse.

You fail to mention the OP:  the huge provocation of Israel killing over 220 Palestinians including children, medics and paraplegics protesting their right to return to their homeland in Israel. 
15 murdered first day March 30. No rockets fired for 4 months prior to that!

As always, Israel fired the first shots.

 

It is not a level playing field nor is there moral equivalence: Israel is the invader, colonizer and occupier, not the other way around.

An off-topic troll post has been removed from this thread.

8 hours ago, Morch said:

 

Not really. Overall, and in light of the number of rockets launched from the Gaza Strip, the Israeli actions are somewhat less than expected. Certainly not on par with previous clashes. Israel doesn't have anything to gain from Gaza's "ruin", quite the opposite.

 

Current reports suggest mediation offers (mostly handled by Egypt) are on the right track, so if nothing goes boom in the next few days, the unofficial ceasefire negotiations may resume. That said, there's Friday...

Really must seek out that sarcasm emoji

 

@dexterm

 

There were three examples cited, naturally you will focus on the least of these, while ignoring the others (and many more).

 

As for your "failed to mention" bit - this would more aptly apply to the "first shots" talking point pushed, while ignoring any relevant context which doesn't support your views. Cherry-picking which events and actions, by which side, and at what time are relevant, is a common feature of your rants.

 

That you hold extreme, one-sided views regarding the issue doesn't mean that they can replace facts and reality, nor does it lend them with any particular authority or credibility.