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| Hamas military chief killed in Israeli air strike on Gaza Strip | Hamas military chief killed in Israeli air strike on Gaza Strip |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Hamas's military commander has been killed in an Israeli air strike in a move likely to herald a dramatic rise in violence in Gaza. | Hamas's military commander has been killed in an Israeli air strike in a move likely to herald a dramatic rise in violence in Gaza. |
| Ahmed al-Jaabari, the head of the Islamist organisation's military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam, died when his car was struck in Gaza City by a missile after Israel warned it may step up targeted assassinations, having endured almost a week of intense rocket fire from Gaza. Reports suggested three other Palestinians were also killed. | Ahmed al-Jaabari, the head of the Islamist organisation's military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam, died when his car was struck in Gaza City by a missile after Israel warned it may step up targeted assassinations, having endured almost a week of intense rocket fire from Gaza. Reports suggested three other Palestinians were also killed. |
| In the hours after the attack on Jaabari, Israeli air strikes hit a series of targets across Gaza City. | In the hours after the attack on Jaabari, Israeli air strikes hit a series of targets across Gaza City. |
| Israel's military spokesman, Brigadier-General Yoav Mordechai, said the assault could draw cross-border rocket attacks and stretch into days of fighting. "The days we face in the south will, in my estimation, prove protracted," he told Channel 2 TV. "The home front must brace itself resiliently." | Israel's military spokesman, Brigadier-General Yoav Mordechai, said the assault could draw cross-border rocket attacks and stretch into days of fighting. "The days we face in the south will, in my estimation, prove protracted," he told Channel 2 TV. "The home front must brace itself resiliently." |
| A tweet from the Israeli military said it was ready to "initiate a ground operation in Gaza" if necessary. | A tweet from the Israeli military said it was ready to "initiate a ground operation in Gaza" if necessary. |
| The Egyptian foreign minister, Mohamed Kamel Amr, condemned the attacks and called on Israel to stop them immediately, a statement said. The Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, called for an immediate Arab League meeting. | The Egyptian foreign minister, Mohamed Kamel Amr, condemned the attacks and called on Israel to stop them immediately, a statement said. The Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, called for an immediate Arab League meeting. |
| Jaabari's death was confirmed by both the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and Hamas. In a statement, the IDF said Jaabari was "a senior Hamas operative who served in the upper echelon of the Hamas command", and had been "directly responsible for executing terror attacks against the state of Israel in the past number of years". | Jaabari's death was confirmed by both the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and Hamas. In a statement, the IDF said Jaabari was "a senior Hamas operative who served in the upper echelon of the Hamas command", and had been "directly responsible for executing terror attacks against the state of Israel in the past number of years". |
| Its operation was intended "to severely impair the command-and-control chain of the Hamas leadership, as well as its terrorist infrastructure. This was a surgical operation in co-operation with the Israeli security agency that was implemented on the basis of concrete intelligence and using advanced capabilities." | Its operation was intended "to severely impair the command-and-control chain of the Hamas leadership, as well as its terrorist infrastructure. This was a surgical operation in co-operation with the Israeli security agency that was implemented on the basis of concrete intelligence and using advanced capabilities." |
| Israeli military sources said the strike had been the result of "precise intelligence" gathered over a period of months. The Israeli air force carried out multiple air strikes on Wednesday in an operation it named Cloud Pillar, suggesting it had launched a continuing offensive. | Israeli military sources said the strike had been the result of "precise intelligence" gathered over a period of months. The Israeli air force carried out multiple air strikes on Wednesday in an operation it named Cloud Pillar, suggesting it had launched a continuing offensive. |
| Calls for revenge were broadcast in Gaza after the air strikes, according to Reuters. "Israel has declared war on Gaza and they will bear the responsibility for the consequences," Islamic Jihad said. | Calls for revenge were broadcast in Gaza after the air strikes, according to Reuters. "Israel has declared war on Gaza and they will bear the responsibility for the consequences," Islamic Jihad said. |
| Earlier the Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, indicated that the government had decided against a major offensive in Gaza after a three-day period during which militants fired more than 100 rockets. | Earlier the Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, indicated that the government had decided against a major offensive in Gaza after a three-day period during which militants fired more than 100 rockets. |
| On Tuesday, he told a meeting of mayors in towns close to the Gaza border that he would choose "the right time to exact the heaviest price … Whoever thinks that they can damage the daily lives of residents of the south, and that they won't pay a heavy price for this, they are mistaken." | On Tuesday, he told a meeting of mayors in towns close to the Gaza border that he would choose "the right time to exact the heaviest price … Whoever thinks that they can damage the daily lives of residents of the south, and that they won't pay a heavy price for this, they are mistaken." |
| There had been intense speculation about the possibility of a ground invasion of Gaza by Israeli forces. But Egyptian mediators persuaded Hamas and other militant groups to sign up to a ceasefire. | There had been intense speculation about the possibility of a ground invasion of Gaza by Israeli forces. But Egyptian mediators persuaded Hamas and other militant groups to sign up to a ceasefire. |
| Jaabari is the most senior Hamas operative to be killed by Israel for almost four years, since Operation Cast Lead, its three-week assault on Gaza, left around 1,400 Palestinians dead. | Jaabari is the most senior Hamas operative to be killed by Israel for almost four years, since Operation Cast Lead, its three-week assault on Gaza, left around 1,400 Palestinians dead. |
| What does Israel's killing of Hamas general mean for Gaza? | What does Israel's killing of Hamas general mean for Gaza? |
| Observer foreign affairs editor Peter Beaumont responds to the death of Ahmed al-Jaabari in the Israeli strike on Gaza | Observer foreign affairs editor Peter Beaumont responds to the death of Ahmed al-Jaabari in the Israeli strike on Gaza |
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