Palestinian firefighter at the scene of an Israeli attack that left seven dead and at least 40 injured. Photo: AFP
An Israeli bombing in the Gaza Strip on Friday left eight dead, including a 5-year-old girl and a high leader of Islamic Jihad, informed the Minister of Health of the enclave and the Palestinian organization. There were also at least 44 injured.
Palestinian medical and security sources confirmed Taysir al Jabari’s death, chief of the armed wing of the YI in the central area and in the north of the Gaza Strip and who led the unit responsible for firing rockets on Israel.
“There were four martyrs, including a five-year-old girl, killed by the Israeli occupation“, indicated the Minister of Health of the Gaza Strip, referring to an initial report that gave an account of the initial number of victims. Later it was confirmed that the dead were actually eight.
The Israeli attack left at least 40 people injured. Photo: EFE
Islamic Jihad for its part indicated that one of its leaders was “killed in a Zionist assassination in Gaza City”.
Other Palestinian sources in Gaza also pointed out that the attacked residential building, located in the center of the Gaza capital, houses press offices and non-governmental organizations.
The assassination of Al Jabari takes place as part of an offensive launched today by the Israeli army against Palestinian group targets in the enclave, amid a surge of tension following the arrest Monday of another of its leaders in the occupied West Bank. .
In a brief statement, the army announced the launch of an operation against the Islamist groupwhich this week threatened retaliatory attacks after his arrest, triggering a wave of Israeli troops on the Gaza border and a state of alert for a possible rocket fire.
The building in the Gaza Strip where the attack took place. Photo: EFE
Islamic Jihad has threatened retaliation
The general secretary of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (IJ) movement, Ziad al Nakhala, threatened to attack central Israel after the attack in which the number two of the group, Taysir al Jabari, died.
“The occupation (Israel) will pay a heavy price for its aggression against Gaza, and after today there are no red lines and no mediation,” Nakhala said in a statement, saying that “Tel Aviv will be a target for our missiles. “.
The leader of the Islamist movement warned that the “the enemy must take responsibility for his aggression” and that “he must expect a strong and decisive response”, for which he urged the mobilization of “all the Palestinian people”.
“I ask all fighters in all Fatah-ruled Palestinian neighborhoods to fulfill their duties in the face of this aggression, whether in Gaza or the West Bank,” said the leader of Islamic Jihad, the largest radicalized Palestinian Islamic movement.
Hostility and attacks on the rise
For a few days, Israel keeps border crossings with the Strip closedas well as multiple roads in Israeli communities adjacent to the enclave.
The Israeli attack on Gaza marks a turnaround from previous offensives, the triggers of which often include the hostility of Palestinian groups in the Strip against Israeli territory.
After the bombings, which according to Palestinian sources have achieved multiple objectives in several cities of the Gaza Strip, the army ordered the interruption of almost all activities in communities near the border and has established multiple protective measures in nearby but not so close areas.
These measures provide for the interruption of all educational activities and a limit to the capacity, which cannot be extended to more than 10 people in closed spaces at least until tomorrow afternoon.
Following the offensive, Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said: “The Israeli government will not allow terrorist organizations in Gaza to set the agenda in the area adjacent to the Strip and threaten the citizens of the State of Israel. Anyone. try to hurt Israel you should know: we will find it“.
“The security forces will act against Islamic Jihad terrorists to eliminate the threat they pose to the citizens of Israel,” he added.
For his part, Defense Minister Benny Gantz noted that “the goal is to protect the State of Israel and to the citizens of Israel. We will not allow anyone to threaten or harm the citizens of Israel. Whoever tries to do it will get hurt. “
Source: AFP, EFE and AP
Source: Clarin
