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Gaza city: Israeli air strike kills Palestinian militant | Gaza city: Israeli air strike kills Palestinian militant |
(35 minutes 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. |
Haytham al-Mishal, 29, was hit while riding a motorcycle. At least one other person was reportedly also injured. | |
A militant group which fired rockets at the southern Israeli city of Eilat two weeks ago said Mishal had been one of its members. | |
It is the first deadly air strike in Gaza since a ceasefire ended eight days of fighting between Israel and militants there in November. | It is the first deadly air strike in Gaza since a ceasefire ended eight days of fighting 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. |
A spokesman for Hamas, which governs Gaza, said it considered the air strike and the killing of Mishal as "a serious violation of the ceasefire". | |
An Israeli government official said the ceasefire was "based on mutual quiet". | 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". | "Attacks on Israel from Gaza are a breach of the ceasefire and Israel cannot be expected not to act". |
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said Mishal was a weapons expert who had made rockets and bombs for different militant groups. | |
It said Mishal had been involved in "extensive terror activity against Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers", including the attack on Eilat, a popular tourist destination on Israel's southern Red Sea coast. | |
In that incident, two rockets fired from the Egyptian Sinai by Gaza-based militants landed in open areas, without causing damage or injury. | In that incident, two rockets fired from the Egyptian Sinai by Gaza-based militants landed in open areas, without causing damage or injury. |
The Mujahedeen Shura Council said Misshal had been one of its members. | The Mujahedeen Shura Council said Misshal had been one of its members. |
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." | 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. | 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. | The truce has largely upheld since then, despite several incidents of cross-border fire. |