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| Israel Orders Airstrike Against Gaza Militant | Israel Orders Airstrike Against Gaza Militant |
| (7 months later) | |
| JERUSALEM — The Israeli military said that it carried out an airstrike early Sunday against a Palestinian militant in Gaza responsible for firing rockets into Israel. Medical officials in Gaza reported that the target of the strike, who was riding a motorcycle, was critically wounded and a bystander was hurt. | |
| The airstrike, the third against a specific militant in Gaza in three weeks, was a return to the practice known in Israel as “targeted killing” that had all but halted after a cease-fire began more than 14 months ago, ending a round of fierce cross-border fighting. The resumption of such strikes comes amid an increase in rocket fire by small radical groups operating in Gaza, as well as Israeli retaliatory airstrikes against facilities associated with militant groups and clashes along the Israel-Gaza border fence, straining the cease-fire on both sides. | The airstrike, the third against a specific militant in Gaza in three weeks, was a return to the practice known in Israel as “targeted killing” that had all but halted after a cease-fire began more than 14 months ago, ending a round of fierce cross-border fighting. The resumption of such strikes comes amid an increase in rocket fire by small radical groups operating in Gaza, as well as Israeli retaliatory airstrikes against facilities associated with militant groups and clashes along the Israel-Gaza border fence, straining the cease-fire on both sides. |
| The target of Sunday’s airstrike, which took place in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, was Abdallah Kharti, a senior member of the Popular Resistance Committees, according to the Israeli military and a statement from the group. Vaguely organized, the group is mainly made up of fighters who left other organizations like Hamas, the Islamic militant organization that controls Gaza; Fatah, its secular rival; and Islamic Jihad. | The target of Sunday’s airstrike, which took place in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, was Abdallah Kharti, a senior member of the Popular Resistance Committees, according to the Israeli military and a statement from the group. Vaguely organized, the group is mainly made up of fighters who left other organizations like Hamas, the Islamic militant organization that controls Gaza; Fatah, its secular rival; and Islamic Jihad. |
| Israeli leaders have declared repeatedly in recent weeks that they will not tolerate any rocket fire. On Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “Our resolute policy against terrorism may be summed up in a single principle: Whoever attacks us or plans to attack us will bear the consequences.” | Israeli leaders have declared repeatedly in recent weeks that they will not tolerate any rocket fire. On Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “Our resolute policy against terrorism may be summed up in a single principle: Whoever attacks us or plans to attack us will bear the consequences.” |
| Gaza militants have launched 33 rockets at Israel since the beginning of this year, according to the military. About 60 rockets were fired at southern Israel in all of 2013. | Gaza militants have launched 33 rockets at Israel since the beginning of this year, according to the military. About 60 rockets were fired at southern Israel in all of 2013. |
| Israel’s minister of defense, Moshe Yaalon, said Mr. Kharti had also been involved in firing rockets from the Egyptian territory in the Sinai Peninsula into the southern Israeli resort city of Eilat. | Israel’s minister of defense, Moshe Yaalon, said Mr. Kharti had also been involved in firing rockets from the Egyptian territory in the Sinai Peninsula into the southern Israeli resort city of Eilat. |
| Rockets were fired at Eilat twice in January. In the first case, two rockets apparently fell in open ground, causing no damage or injuries. In the second attack, a rocket was successfully intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system. | Rockets were fired at Eilat twice in January. In the first case, two rockets apparently fell in open ground, causing no damage or injuries. In the second attack, a rocket was successfully intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system. |
| Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, a spokesman for the Israeli military, said, “Precision munitions combined with advanced intelligence enables us to strike terrorists like Kharti while they attempt to use Hamas’s Gaza as a haven for their hostilities.” | Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, a spokesman for the Israeli military, said, “Precision munitions combined with advanced intelligence enables us to strike terrorists like Kharti while they attempt to use Hamas’s Gaza as a haven for their hostilities.” |
| Israeli military officials say that Hamas appears to be having trouble controlling some of the smaller militant groups. Hamas is facing severe economic straits, having lost a major source of income in recent months because of an Egyptian clampdown on hundreds of smuggling tunnels. | Israeli military officials say that Hamas appears to be having trouble controlling some of the smaller militant groups. Hamas is facing severe economic straits, having lost a major source of income in recent months because of an Egyptian clampdown on hundreds of smuggling tunnels. |
| Islam Shahwan, a spokesman for the Hamas-run Interior Ministry in Gaza, said his ministry had redeployed its forces along Gaza’s borders with Israel to protect the cease-fire, meaning to prevent further rocket fire out of Gaza. | Islam Shahwan, a spokesman for the Hamas-run Interior Ministry in Gaza, said his ministry had redeployed its forces along Gaza’s borders with Israel to protect the cease-fire, meaning to prevent further rocket fire out of Gaza. |
| The announcement came days after Hamas had reportedly withdrawn its forces from the border areas in a protest against Israeli airstrikes. | The announcement came days after Hamas had reportedly withdrawn its forces from the border areas in a protest against Israeli airstrikes. |