Israel, Gaza Trade Blows in Deadly Exchanges
Israel, Gaza Trade Blows in Deadly Exchanges by Felicia Schwartz – Wall Street Journal
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered “massive attacks” on the Gaza Strip Sunday as some of the worst fighting in months jeopardized cease-fire talks.
Mr. Netanyahu said the military would reinforce units around the Gaza Strip with armor, artillery and infantry amid fears the violence would continue to escalate during the worst flare up between Israel and Gaza since tensions began rising last May. Gaza fired 450 rockets into Israel Saturday and Sunday, including 180 rockets overnight, and Israel responded by striking what it said were 220 military targets in Gaza. The fighting is ongoing Sunday, with sirens in Beer Sheba and communities near the border with Gaza.
The prime minister said he blamed Hamas, the U.S.-designated terrorist organization that rules Gaza, for the attacks, including those launched by another Islamist terror group, Palestinian Islamic Jihad. “It is paying a very heavy price for this,” Mr. Netanyahu said.
The back and forth killed a 58-year-old Israeli man in Ashkelon—the first Israeli citizen killed by rocket fire since the 2014 war with Gaza—and at least 12 people in Gaza, including a pregnant woman and her 14-month-old infant. The Israeli military said a Hamas rocket accidentally killed the woman and child…