Israel's Gaza operations entered their 22th day as
15 rockets and 7 mortar shells were fired at Southern Israel on Saturday, 10 rockets hit in the morning and another 5 hit in the afternoon and early evening. Among the locations hit Saturday were Beersheba, Ashkelon, Kiryat Gat as well as Ashdod and open areas near Ofakim, Netivot, and the Eshkol Regional Council. Two of the rockets were launched during the IDF's daily "humanitarian pause".
On Saturday morning,
a synagogue in the community of Tifrah near Ofakim sustained a direct hit. Fortunately, the synagogue was temporarily empty at the time of the strike. The structure suffered heavy damage but there were no injuries. However two people were treated for shock.
Meanwhile, during Saturday's fighting, four paratroopers, two officers and two soldiers, were seriously wounded from mortar shell fire in what is thought to have been another case of 'friendly fire'. In other fighting, five IDF soldiers were wounded, 1 seriously, by Hamas anti-tank missiles.
The IDF Spokesperson provides a
summary of operations on Saturday:
IDF forces operating in the northern Gaza Strip today identified two armed gunmen hiding in a residential building and targeted them with tank fire. In a subsequent sweep of the building troops uncovered a stockpile of ammunition, including an explosive belt, grenades and other weapons...
Since the morning the IAF targeted over 120 Hamas targets in Gaza,
including:
-More than 100 tunnels in southern Gaza
-10 rocket launching points, including several launchers already primed and loaded
-5 cells of gunmen
-3 Hamas outposts
-Additional strikes assisting ground forces
A total of 20 rockets and mortar shells were fired into Israel today, no
injuries were reported. Thirteen soldiers were wounded in the past 24 hours, 3 seriously, 3 moderately and 7 lightly.
On the political, diplomatic front, Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu of Israel National News reports that Israel's Security Cabinet is meeting to discuss
declaration a unilateral ceasefire in Gaza in wake of Hamas' refusal of truce initiatives. Ben Gedalyahu reports:
The government is expected to approve the plan, which calls for the IDF to remain in Gaza but to halt attacks on the Hamas terror infrastructure.
Meanwhile, negotiations continue in Egypt concerning security along the border between Egypt and Gaza and conditions for the re-opening of the border in the divided city of Rafiah.
In Washington, United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice discussed with visiting Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni guarantees for stopping smuggling along the border.
However, U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters, who questioned what is different from previous commitments that have not stopped smuggling, "Well... we are not responsible for, you know, smuggling happening or not. We are able to participate in robust ways to assist others as well in making sure that smuggling, resupply of Hamas, does not take place.
On Friday, a total of 22 rockets landed in Israel while the
IDF killed at least 20 Hamas gunmen in fighting. The IDF Spokesperson provided 2 summaries of
IDF Operations on Friday:
Summary of IDF Operations as of 22:00
IDF forces operating in the northern Gaza Strip today uncovered a house rigged with explosives. The building was detonated in a controlled manner with the assistance of combat engineering forces.
A Paratroopers force identified a squad of gunmen armed with anti-tank
weapons and guided the Air Force in striking it. In another incident, ground forces fired at a cell armed with mortar shells.
Since the afternoon the IAF targeted over 25 Hamas targets in Gaza,
including:
-Two launchers used to fire rockets at Ashdod and Kiryat Gat
-Three bunkers containing weapons and rockets
-Seven groups of gunmen
-A tent with Hamas operatives and weapons inside
-Additional strikes assisting ground forces
-Over 20 rockets and mortars fired from the Gaza Strip hit Israel. Among the cities hit were Ashdod and Kiryat Gat. Five civilians were reported wounded.
Summary of IDF Operations as of 16:30, Friday
115,000 liters of fuel and 109 humanitarian aid trucks passed into the Gaza Strip today.
IDF ground forces operating in the Gaza strip reported hitting at least 20 armed gunmen throughout the day.
In one incident today, a joint combat engineering and tank force uncovered a tunnel containing weaponry and explosive devices. The tunnel was detonated in a controlled manner. A second reported incident included an infantry force from the Golani Brigade identifying a number of armed gunmen planting an explosive device. The force fired at the gunmen. In a third incident, a reserve infantry force identified a squad of gunmen approaching and fired at
them.
The IAF attacked approx. 25 Hamas terrorist sites today, including:
-Two smuggling tunnels in the southern Gaza Strip used for smuggling
weaponry.
-13 rocket launching sites
-Six squads of armed gunmen
-Five targets directed by ground forces
-A building with Hamas terror operatives inside
Over 15 rockets and mortars fired from the Gaza Strip hit the Israel.
Amongst the cities hit were Ashdod and Kiryat Gat, where five civilians were reported wounded, one of them seriously.
