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Israel fires missile at motorcycle rider in Gaza it says was responsible for rocket attacks Israel fires missile at motorcycle rider in Gaza it says was responsible for rocket attacks
(about 5 hours later)
JERUSALEM — The Israeli air force said it fired a missile at a top Islamic Jihad operative as he rode his motorcycle in the Gaza Strip on Sunday. Israel said the man was responsible for a recent series of rockets fired from Gaza. JERUSALEM — The Israeli air force said it fired a missile at a top Islamic Jihad operative as he rode his motorcycle in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, wounding him. Israel said the man was responsible for a recent series of rockets launched from Gaza.
It was the first targeted killing attempt by Israel in Gaza since April last year, and signals rising tensions between Gaza militants and Israeli forces in recent days. It was the first targeted killing attempt by Israel in Gaza since April and signals rising tensions.
An Israel Defense Forces spokesman said the target was Ahmad Saad, 22, described as “a key Palestinian Islamic Jihad operative in the Gaza Strip specializing in rocket launching.”An Israel Defense Forces spokesman said the target was Ahmad Saad, 22, described as “a key Palestinian Islamic Jihad operative in the Gaza Strip specializing in rocket launching.”
Saad was being treated at a Gaza hospital and was in serious condition, according to a spokeswoman for the Islamist militant organization Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip. Saad was in serious condition at a Gaza hospital, according to a spokeswoman for the Islamist militant organization Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip. Isra al-Modallah, the spokeswoman, said a 12-year-old boy also was injured in the attack.
The Israeli military said that Saad was responsible for five rockets aimed at Ashkelon on the Israeli coast Thursday, which were downed by the U.S.-funded Iron Dome missile defense system. Israel responded by firing its own missiles at Gaza, striking a weapons storage cache and launch pad, the military said. The Israeli military said Saad was responsible for five rockets aimed at Ashkelon on the Israeli coast Thursday. They were downed by the U.S.-funded Iron Dome missile defense system. Israel responded by firing missiles at Gaza that struck a weapons storage cache and launchpad, the military said.
Isra al-Modallah, the Hamas spokeswoman, said that in addition to Saad, a 12-year-old boy was injured in the attack. Modallah called the targeted killing attempt “a new act of aggression” by Israel.
She called the targeted killing attempt “a new act of aggression” by Israel. Saad was undergoing surgery Sunday night in a Gaza hospital and was in serious condition, she said.
Photographs of Saad’s motorcycle showed charring and damage to the rear tire and seat, but the bike could still rest upright on its kickstand.Photographs of Saad’s motorcycle showed charring and damage to the rear tire and seat, but the bike could still rest upright on its kickstand.
Although Saad was allegedly a member of the faction Islamic Jihad in Gaza, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Hamas that it was ultimately responsible for any rocket fire emanating from Gaza. Although Saad was allegedly a member of the Islamic Jihad faction in Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Hamas that it was ultimately responsible for any rocket fire emanating from Gaza.
“We are determined to preserve the quiet in the South,” Netanyahu said Sunday at his weekly cabinet meeting. "We do this through a policy of prevention and by responding powerfully against those who try to harm or hurt us. I suggest that Hamas take our policy into account." “We are determined to preserve the quiet in the south,” Netanyahu said Sunday at his weekly cabinet meeting. “We do this through a policy of prevention and by responding powerfully against those who try to harm or hurt us. I suggest that Hamas take our policy into account.”
Earlier Netanyahu vowed not to let “a drizzle of rockets accumulate into a rain” from Gaza. Netanyahu recently vowed not to let “a drizzle of rockets accumulate into a rain” from Gaza.
In a statement, the group Islamic Jihad said Israel’s operations in Gaza may lead to the collapse of a November 2012 cease-fire, which ended a brief but intense air war between Hamas and Israel that saw about 3,000 rockets fired by both sides. In a statement, Islamic Jihad said Israel’s operations in Gaza may lead to the collapse of a November 2012 cease-fire, which ended a brief but intense air war between Hamas and Israel in which both sides fired about 3,000 rockets.
Later Sunday, the Israeli military said it would return the “bodies of terrorists” to Palestinian families, the Associated Press reported. Israeli media said 36 bodies would be returned.