- APMarch 9: Palestinian carry the body of Zuhair al-Qaissi, a commander of the armed wing of the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) in Gaza City.
GAZA CITY – A
violent flare-up that began when Israel killed a leading militant
commander in the Gaza Strip has so far killed 12 militants, said a
Palestinian health spokesman Saturday.
The killing also unleashed a barrage of
rockets by furious Palestinian militants from the coastal territory
toward Israel's southern border communities. One of those rockets
seriously wounded an Israeli civilian and sent families scattering into
bomb shelters.
The Palestinian militants were killed in
seven airstrikes overnight and on Saturday morning, said Gaza health
spokesman Adham Abu Salmiya. He said some 20 more civilians were wounded
by flying shrapnel from the exploding missiles, some of which targeted
militants deep in civilian areas of the crowded territory.
The flare-up began midmorning Friday, when
an Israeli airstrike targeted the commander of one of the militant
groups behind the abduction of an Israeli soldier five years ago.
Zuhair Al-Qaissi's killing prompted
Palestinian militants in Gaza to fire over 50 rockets at Israel so far,
according to a count by Israel's military.
As militants sought to fire rockets, they were targeted by Israeli airstrikes. One militant was killed on Gaza City's main upscale boulevard. Another was hit while driving a car in the central Gaza City town of Deir al-Balah.
As militants sought to fire rockets, they were targeted by Israeli airstrikes. One militant was killed on Gaza City's main upscale boulevard. Another was hit while driving a car in the central Gaza City town of Deir al-Balah.
The Israeli military said it initially
targeted al-Qaissi, the commander of the armed wing of the Popular
Resistance Committee, a militant group closely aligned with Gaza's Hamas
rulers.
Members of several other Palestinian groups
joined the fray. The majority of those killed overnight belonged to the
Islamic Jihad, a militant group that has sought to build up its arsenal
over the past few months.
The Friday strike was the highest profile
killing Israel has undertaken against militants in the coastal strip in
several months.
The military said al-Qaissi was plotting an
infiltration attack into Israel similar to the raid from Egypt's Sinai
peninsula that they claim he orchestrated in August, which killed eight
Israelis and injured 40 more.
The militant group has never taken responsibility for the attack.
The explosion tore apart al-Qaissi's blue
sedan and killed his son-in-law, Mahmoud Hanini -- himself a top PRC
field commander. Another low ranking Gaza militant also died.
Palestinian witnesses said Israeli drones
were seen hovering above just moments before al-Qaissi's vehicle burst
into flames. They said the blast was so fierce that al-Qaissi's head was
torn off.
The Popular Resistance Committee is
responsible for dozens of deadly attacks against Israelis in recent
years and its members are among the most active rocket launchers from
Gaza into Israel.
The Israeli military said al-Qaissi was also
in charge of transferring funds from the Lebanese militant group
Hezbollah to other militant groups in Gaza.
But the group is mostly known for carrying
out the 2006 abduction of Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit and holding on
to him for more than five years until he was freed in a massive prisoner
swap last year.
Israel's agreement to release 1,027 Palestinians for Schalit was the most lopsided swap in the country's history.
Israel often targets Gaza militants it says
are preparing attacks, but tensions have been relatively calm in recent
months with Israel mostly targeting smuggling tunnels from Egypt and
refraining from attacking individuals. Al-Qaissi, who is also known as
Abu Ibrahim, is the highest profile casualty in Gaza since his
predecessor, Kamal Nairab, was killed seven months ago in a similar
fashion.
The military said Palestinian militants had
fired some 50 rockets and mortar shells at Israel over the past two
months, causing no casualties and little damage.
Gaza militants promised many more would come.
The Israeli military insisted it did not want an escalation but said it was "prepared to defend the residents of Israel."
But it appeared to be getting ready for the
worst, issuing a warning to Israeli residents living within 25 miles of
Gaza to stay close to home
Friday night and refrain from holding major outdoor events Saturday.
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