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Israel Amassing Forces Around Gaza Israel Amassing Forces Around Gaza
(35 minutes later)
JERUSALEM — The Israeli military amassed troops around the Gaza Strip on Thursday after Palestinian militants there fired some 30 rockets at southern Israel over 24 hours, two of which hit homes in the border town of Sderot, causing property damage but no injuries. JERUSALEM — The Israeli military mobilized troops around the Gaza Strip on Thursday after Palestinian militants there fired some 30 rockets at southern Israel over 24 hours, two of which hit homes in the border town of Sderot, causing property damage but no injuries.
Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, a military spokesman, said that despite the mobilization — which included the call-up of some reservists for duties in headquarters — Israel was not interested in further escalating the violent exchanges with Gaza that have been building for more than two weeks. Overnight, 15 Israeli airstrikes hit what the military said were rocket-launching and training sites of Hamas, the Islamic militant group that dominates Gaza; Palestinian health officials said 10 people were wounded, including a pregnant woman and a 65-year-old man. Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, a military spokesman, said that despite the mobilization, Israel was not interested in further escalating the violent exchanges with Gaza that have been building for more than two weeks. Overnight, 15 Israeli airstrikes hit sites the military said were associated with Hamas, the Islamic militant group that dominates Gaza; Palestinian health officials said 10 people were wounded, including a pregnant woman and a 65-year-old man.
“We are moving, and we have moved, forces to serve defensive activities and forward preparations,” Colonel Lerner told reporters on a conference call.“We are moving, and we have moved, forces to serve defensive activities and forward preparations,” Colonel Lerner told reporters on a conference call.
“The main issue is how Hamas is reading the situation,” he added. “We don’t want to take it further, but we will be prepared for the developments.”“The main issue is how Hamas is reading the situation,” he added. “We don’t want to take it further, but we will be prepared for the developments.”
The escalating tit-for-tat clashes in the south come against the backdrop of heightened tensions in Jerusalem, where the burned body of a 16-year-old Palestinian, Muhammad Hussein Abu Khdeir, was found in a Jerusalem forest on Wednesday. Muhammad had been forced into a vehicle near his East Jerusalem home about an hour before his body was discovered, and the police are investigating whether he was killed in retaliation for the death of three Israeli teenagers who were buried on Tuesday after being kidnapped in the occupied West Bank last month. The deteriorating situation in the south comes against the backdrop of heightened tensions in Jerusalem, where the burned body of a 16-year-old Palestinian, Muhammad Hussein Abu Khdeir, was found in a Jerusalem forest on Wednesday. Muhammad had been forced into a vehicle near his East Jerusalem home about an hour before his body was discovered, and the police are investigating whether he was killed in retaliation for the death of three Israeli teenagers who were buried on Tuesday after being kidnapped in the occupied West Bank last month.
Khaled Meshal, the political leader of Hamas, said in an interview published Wednesday that the organization was also not interested in an escalation. But a Gaza-based Hamas leader said on Thursday that the group was having trouble convincing other militants to hold their fire. Khaled Meshal, the political leader of Hamas, said in an interview from Qatar, published Wednesday, that the organization was also not interested in an escalation. But a Gaza-based Hamas leader said on Thursday that the group was having trouble convincing other militants to hold their fire.
“In general, there was an agreement to calm the situation,” said the official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of internal politics. “We are communicating with the factions to stop them from firing rockets, but the justification is always, ‘Look at what the Israelis are doing in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.'”“In general, there was an agreement to calm the situation,” said the official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of internal politics. “We are communicating with the factions to stop them from firing rockets, but the justification is always, ‘Look at what the Israelis are doing in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.'”
The authorities were also scrambling to investigate a possible third kidnapping Thursday afternoon, after a girl called a police hotline from near Maalot, a city in northern Israel, a police spokesman said. “She said that she was abducted and then the line went dead,” Micky Rosenfeld, the spokesman, said. “We’re searching the area. Helicopters are trying to track. We’ll see what’s going on there.”The authorities were also scrambling to investigate a possible third kidnapping Thursday afternoon, after a girl called a police hotline from near Maalot, a city in northern Israel, a police spokesman said. “She said that she was abducted and then the line went dead,” Micky Rosenfeld, the spokesman, said. “We’re searching the area. Helicopters are trying to track. We’ll see what’s going on there.”
Muhammad’s abduction and killing set off fierce riots in parts of East Jerusalem that stretched into Wednesday night, and there were fears that his funeral, expected sometime Thursday, could stir broader unrest.Muhammad’s abduction and killing set off fierce riots in parts of East Jerusalem that stretched into Wednesday night, and there were fears that his funeral, expected sometime Thursday, could stir broader unrest.
Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, said President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority had “been making extensive international contacts” since Muhammad’s death and would convene a meeting of the Palestinian leadership on Thursday to consider, among other things, joining more United Nations institutions, including the International Criminal Court.Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, said President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority had “been making extensive international contacts” since Muhammad’s death and would convene a meeting of the Palestinian leadership on Thursday to consider, among other things, joining more United Nations institutions, including the International Criminal Court.
“Violence will only lead to more violence in the region; it has killed all chances for peace,” Mr. Erekat, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s executive committee, said on Voice of Palestine radio. “The entire world has condemned the killing of Abu Khdeir, but the world should also follow up. Why was Muhammad kidnapped, killed? Why are the settlers allowed to run wild in Jerusalem? Why can they take the law in their own hands? There is only one answer: because of the continuing Israeli occupation.”“Violence will only lead to more violence in the region; it has killed all chances for peace,” Mr. Erekat, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s executive committee, said on Voice of Palestine radio. “The entire world has condemned the killing of Abu Khdeir, but the world should also follow up. Why was Muhammad kidnapped, killed? Why are the settlers allowed to run wild in Jerusalem? Why can they take the law in their own hands? There is only one answer: because of the continuing Israeli occupation.”
In Shuafat, the relatively well-to-do neighborhood where Muhammad lived, the streets on Thursday were quiet but littered with remnants of the clashes between Palestinians and Israeli forces that had raged the day before. Traffic lights were smashed and large metal trash containers overturned. Many stones were still strewn across the asphalt. The first floor of an unfinished building where soldiers had huddled was blackened from the Molotov cocktails residents had thrown at it.In Shuafat, the relatively well-to-do neighborhood where Muhammad lived, the streets on Thursday were quiet but littered with remnants of the clashes between Palestinians and Israeli forces that had raged the day before. Traffic lights were smashed and large metal trash containers overturned. Many stones were still strewn across the asphalt. The first floor of an unfinished building where soldiers had huddled was blackened from the Molotov cocktails residents had thrown at it.
The shops — Joulani Furniture, Abu Irmeileh Pharmacy, a local post office and a place to get aluminum windows — were all shuttered. There was fresh graffiti: “Resistance lives on,” read one splash of red paint, in Arabic. “The martyr of the predawn,” read another. On one of several smashed shelters for the light-rail line that normally runs along the main road, the words “Death to Jews” were written in Hebrew, near Muhammad’s name and “Palestine is free and Arab,” in Arabic.The shops — Joulani Furniture, Abu Irmeileh Pharmacy, a local post office and a place to get aluminum windows — were all shuttered. There was fresh graffiti: “Resistance lives on,” read one splash of red paint, in Arabic. “The martyr of the predawn,” read another. On one of several smashed shelters for the light-rail line that normally runs along the main road, the words “Death to Jews” were written in Hebrew, near Muhammad’s name and “Palestine is free and Arab,” in Arabic.
Few cars were on the road, and no Israeli soldiers or police officers were visible. Outside Muhammad’s house, where four Palestinian flags hung, about 200 relatives and friends sat on plastic chairs under a canopy, talking — and waiting. There was no clear word on when the boy’s body would be released: At first, the family thought the autopsy would be complete in time for the funeral to start after the noon prayer, but then word spread that it might not start until late into the night.Few cars were on the road, and no Israeli soldiers or police officers were visible. Outside Muhammad’s house, where four Palestinian flags hung, about 200 relatives and friends sat on plastic chairs under a canopy, talking — and waiting. There was no clear word on when the boy’s body would be released: At first, the family thought the autopsy would be complete in time for the funeral to start after the noon prayer, but then word spread that it might not start until late into the night.
“We are in a state of waiting and expectation,” said a cousin, Said Abu Khdeir, 45, who owns a restaurant in the neighborhood. “It will not be a normal funeral. It will be a wedding for a martyr.” Another relative, Muhammad Abu Khdeir, a 46-year-old English teacher, said, “the hatred has increased” instantly. “I’ve never seen such racism, even in the first and second intifada,” he added. “We are entering a very dark time.”“We are in a state of waiting and expectation,” said a cousin, Said Abu Khdeir, 45, who owns a restaurant in the neighborhood. “It will not be a normal funeral. It will be a wedding for a martyr.” Another relative, Muhammad Abu Khdeir, a 46-year-old English teacher, said, “the hatred has increased” instantly. “I’ve never seen such racism, even in the first and second intifada,” he added. “We are entering a very dark time.”
In Sderot, the Israeli town about a mile from the border with Gaza, one rocket penetrated the wall of a house in which mothers were running a small summer camp for infants. The rocket landed on the upper floor of the house but failed to explode; the mothers and infants had taken shelter in a fortified safe room and escaped injury. In Sderot, the Israeli town about a mile from Gaza’s edge, one rocket penetrated the wall of a house that soon will house a small summer camp for babies. The rocket landed on the upper floor of the house but failed to explode; two mothers and their children had taken shelter in a fortified safe room and escaped injury.
Tammy Journo, who runs the summer camp, said she heard the crash of a rocket. Tammy Journo, who plans to open the camp, said she heard the crash of a rocket.
“I went out to look in the garden,” she told Ynet, a Hebrew news site. “I didn’t imagine it would be in the bedroom.”“I went out to look in the garden,” she told Ynet, a Hebrew news site. “I didn’t imagine it would be in the bedroom.”
A total of 19 rockets were launched from Gaza after midnight, according to the Israeli military. Two were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system, 14 reached Israeli territory and three fell short and apparently landed in Gaza. A total of 21 rockets were launched from Gaza after midnight, according to the Israeli military. Two were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system, 16 reached Israeli territory and three fell short and apparently landed in Gaza.
Tensions along the Israel-Gaza border have been simmering since the kidnapping of the three Israeli teenagers on June 12. Israel has blamed Hamas for their abduction and murder, conducting a campaign against the group’s infrastructure in the West Bank that has included raids on scores of institutions and the arrest of more than 400 Palestinians.Tensions along the Israel-Gaza border have been simmering since the kidnapping of the three Israeli teenagers on June 12. Israel has blamed Hamas for their abduction and murder, conducting a campaign against the group’s infrastructure in the West Bank that has included raids on scores of institutions and the arrest of more than 400 Palestinians.
The growing intensity of the clashes in the south and the erosion of an Egyptian-brokered cease-fire, which ended eight days of fierce fighting across the Israel-Gaza border in November 2012, have raised the prospect of another full-blown confrontation there.The growing intensity of the clashes in the south and the erosion of an Egyptian-brokered cease-fire, which ended eight days of fierce fighting across the Israel-Gaza border in November 2012, have raised the prospect of another full-blown confrontation there.