Israeli airstrike kills 2 in Gaza
Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniya, left, greets the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, Tuesday in Gaza.
October 23rd, 2012
07:11 PM ET

Israeli airstrike kills 2 in Gaza

An Israeli airstrike in Gaza killed two militants from Al-Qassam group, the military wing of Hamas, and wounded two other militants, medical and security sources in Gaza told CNN late Tuesday.

In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces said its aircraft had targeted two rocket-launching squads in northern Gaza as they were being prepared to fire rockets into southern Israel.

It added that more than six rockets had been fired from Gaza at southern Israel during the previous three hours.

"The IDF will not tolerate any attempt to harm Israeli civilians and will operate against anyone who uses terror against the state of Israel," said the statement, which blamed Hamas "for any terrorist activity emanating from the Gaza Strip."

In addition, an IDF officer was moderately wounded while on routine patrol Tuesday adjacent to the security fence in central Gaza, the IDF said. The officer was taken to a hospital, it said.

The attacks occurred the same day that the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, arrived in Gaza, becoming the first head of state to visit since Egypt and Israel instituted a blockade in 2007.

Annual Qatari aid to Palestinians in Gaza will increase from $250 million to $400 million, Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniya told reporters in Khan Younis in southern Gaza.

In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said U.S. officials "share Qatar's deep concern for the welfare of the Palestinian people, including those residing in Gaza."

But she expressed continuing concern over the "destabilizing role" of Hamas, which has governed Gaza since 2007.

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Filed under: Gaza • Middle East
soundoff (10 Responses)
  1. Thinker23

    There are about 6 million Arabs living today in Palestine. 1.4 Million of them are citizens of Israel. The rest are citizens of... well, they're not citizens of any state. Obviously, this situation will not continue forever. This means that the Arabs living today in the West Bank and Gaza will become citizens of their own Palestinian state or, alternatively, they will become citizens of Israel. As a result, the majority of Israelis will be Arabs and former Israel will become just another Arab state where Jews are not allowed. Are you sure that THIS is what you want, "vinnie gambini"?

    October 23, 2012 at 8:06 pm | Report abuse |
    • Thinker23

      BOMBO... Israeli Arabs are... Israeli citizens. NOT 'Palestinians'. Talking about "Israeli Palestinians" is similar to talking about "French Arabs living in England", an oxymoron. Of course, Israeli Arabs will stay in Israel, it's THEIR country where THEIR homes are.

      October 24, 2012 at 5:56 am | Report abuse |
  2. the 1 prophet

    the middle east has been and is up for grabs between Russia and US. Russia will Syria, Iran, and libia, the US Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, eventually Israel will expand and colonize into these areas.

    October 23, 2012 at 9:52 pm | Report abuse |
  3. banasy©

    How does Israel colonize anything?
    Do you imagine that Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan will fall under Israeli rule with the US's support?
    That's what colonization is...
    Sorry, prophet, I don't see that happening anytime soon.

    October 23, 2012 at 10:29 pm | Report abuse |
  4. BOMBO ©

    I sarcastically posted on the Qatari Emir's visit to Gaza blog entry "Hmm. Good time for an airstrike." Some time later, this occurred. Does that mean I'm psychic, or that I have some line of information from IDF? No. But the cycle of rocket attack – airstrike – rocket attack – airstrike has gotten too predictable.

    October 24, 2012 at 12:26 am | Report abuse |
  5. the 1 prophet

    @benasy this is a long term plan we may not see it in our time but here is the layout: the middle east is being divided between Russia and USA. Russia will take over Syria, Iran, and lybia, and the USA Afghanistan, Pakistan. The power vacuum is motion in the whole geographic middle east area.

    October 24, 2012 at 9:23 am | Report abuse |
  6. Matt

    I don't see it as a big issue, but if you fund terror, then you are a terrorist. If all this becomes too much of a problem, I would bomb Qatar. If the mouse becomes a rat then the Saudi's won't mind, save them doing it.

    October 25, 2012 at 2:22 am | Report abuse |
  7. Matt

    Don't be fooled by Syria and the great success against Assad, if I was Assad from my apartment (not that you would know I was there) DPRK or Russia on the sat phone I would have ordered that Qatar be bombed with WMD's. As a lesson to everyone. Hafez would have done that. So trouble cause in Syria and blowback is not a true measure of repercussions.

    October 25, 2012 at 2:32 am | Report abuse |
  8. alan fischer

    Sad to read this

    November 7, 2012 at 1:05 am | Report abuse |
  9. alan fischer

    An eye for an eye

    November 14, 2012 at 8:22 pm | Report abuse |
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