The Israeli Air Force (IAF) has struck multiple terrorist sites throughout Gaza, in response to the fatal shooting of a civilian IDF worker by terrorist snipers from the Islamist-controlled territory.
AFP claims that one of the targets was a “Hamas base” in the southern Gazan city of Khan Younis. Hamas has apparently ordered its fighters to evacuate positions in anticipation of further strikes.
At least one person has been confirmed killed and several more injured in the airstrikes. Local sources say a three year-old girl, Hala Abu Sabikha, was killed in central Gaza.
Following the attack earlier today, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu promised that the government “will not sit idly by. Our policy has always been foiling attacks and responding forcefully to them. We’ll do so in this case as well.”
The IDF has told Israeli farmers were told not to go out to agricultural areas near the area where the shooting took place, between Kibbutz Nahal Oz and Kfar Aza, as a precationary measure.
Wave of terror
The latest Arab terrorist attack, which killed 22 year-old Salah Shukri Abu Latyef from the Israeli Arab town of Rahat, is the latest attack in five consecutive days of violence.
Yesterday (Monday) afternoon a police officer was stabbed and seriously wounded by an Arab terrorist just north of Jerusalem. The officer’s condition has stabilized following surgery, in what doctors described as a “miracle” given that the 15 centimeter (6 inch) knife struck very close to the officer’s heart and other vital organs.
Additionally a firebomb was thrown at a Nazareth resident’s car Monday evening. No injuries or damage was reported in that incident.
On Sunday afternoon a bomb exploded on a Bat Yam bus. Only one person was wounded in that attack on Sunday afternoon – a far more tragic outcome was avoided only by an alert passenger and the quick reactions of the bus driver who evacuated the bus as soon as the suspicious package was spotted.
Meanwhile on Saturday the IDF shot and wounded a terrorist in Gaza who was trying to conceal an explosive along the security fence.
That incident came just a day after clashes on the Gazan border Friday, in which terrorists threw rocks at soldiers near Beit Hanun and fired a mortar shell which, according to reports, hit the Shaar HaNegev regional council.
In response to the Bat Yam bombing, Justice Minister Tzipi Livni (Hatnua), who is responsible for the ongoing peace talks, said the terrorism should be ignored and talks should continue.
Statistics released Monday show that terror attacks have spiked in November as peace talks resumed.
