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Gaza city: Israeli air strike kills Palestinian militant Gaza city: Israeli air strike kills Palestinian militant
(about 1 hour later)
A Palestinian militant has been killed in an Israeli air strike on Gaza City.A Palestinian militant has been killed in an Israeli air strike on Gaza City.
Officials from Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip, said the victim was Haytham al-Misshal, a member of a Salafist jihadist group. Haytham al-Misshal was hit while riding a motorcycle. Two other people were injured, Palestinian sources said.
Israel said Misshal had been "a central anchor of terror" in Gaza and was involved in a recent rocket attack on the southern Israeli city of Eilat. Hamas officials said Misshal, 29, belonged to a Salafist jihadist group.
Israel said Misshal was involved in a rocket attack on its city of Eilat.
It is the first deadly air strike on Gaza since a ceasefire between Israel and militants there in November.It is the first deadly air strike on Gaza since a ceasefire between Israel and militants there in November.
The incident comes after a rise in violence across the Israeli-Gaza border in recent days. Militants have fired several rockets across the border into Israel and Israel has carried out air strikes, with neither causing injuries.The incident comes after a rise in violence across the Israeli-Gaza border in recent days. Militants have fired several rockets across the border into Israel and Israel has carried out air strikes, with neither causing injuries.
Two weeks ago, two rockets fired from the Egyptian Sinai by Gaza-based militants hit Eilat, a popular tourist destination on Israel's Red Sea coast. A spokesman for Hamas, which governs Gaza, said it considered the air strike and the killing of Misshal as "a serious violation of the ceasefire".
In a statement, the Israel Defence Forces said Misshal was a weapons expert who made rockets and bombs for different militant groups. An Israeli government official said the ceasefire was "based on mutual quiet. Attacks on Israel from Gaza are a breach of the ceasefire and Israel cannot be expected not to act".
The Israel Defence Forces said Misshal was a weapons expert who made rockets and bombs for different militant groups.
It said Misshal was involved in "extensive terror activity against Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers", including the attack on Eilat.It said Misshal was involved in "extensive terror activity against Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers", including the attack on Eilat.
Israel and militants in Gaza fought an eight-day war in November, which ended with both sides agreeing to desist from air strikes and rocket attacks. The truce has largely upheld since then, despite several incidents of cross-border fire. In that incident, two rockets fired from the Egyptian Sinai by Gaza-based militants hit Eilat, a popular tourist destination on Israel's southern Red Sea coast.
The rockets landed in open areas, without causing damage or injury.
In a statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: "Today we took down one of those involved in the criminal act of firing rockets against the town of Eilat. I had said that we would not sit quietly while this happened, and this is a clear result of our policy."
Israel and militants in Gaza fought an eight-day war in November, which ended with both sides agreeing to desist from air strikes and rocket attacks.
The truce has largely upheld since then, despite several incidents of cross-border fire.