Israel hit by 600 rockets from Gaza
Militant groups in Gaza have launched at least 600 rockets and mortars at towns and villages in southern Israel since Friday, Israel’s military said, noting that its Iron Dome anti-missile systemhas intercepted more than 150 of them.
In retaliation, Israel has pounded more than 260 targets belonging to Hamasand Islamic Jihad militants in the Gaza Strip.
Officials in Gaza said 16 people, including five civilians [as well as islamic Jihad fighters], have been killed in the bombardment since Friday.
A 1-year old Palestinian baby and the baby’s pregnant mother died in Gaza. The IDF said the deaths were caused by a Hamas rocket that misfired.
In Israel, authorities said Moshe Agadi, a 58-year-old father of four, was killed when shrapnel struck him in the chest in the southern town of Ashkelon.
A 49-year-old man was killed when a rocket slammed into a factory in Ashkelon, a man died when his vehicle was hit by a Kornet anti-tank missile near the border with Gaza and a 35-year-old man was killed when a rocket hit his car in Ashdod.
Another 66 people were wounded. …
On Sunday after a Cabinet meeting, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted on Twitter that Israel will “continue the massive attacks against terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip, and I had to thicken the forces around the Gaza Strip with armor, artillery and live forces. ”
Netanyahu said “Hamas is responsible not only for its attacks and actions, but also for Islamic Jihad operations and it pays a very heavy price.”
On Saturday night, Hamas threatened “the next step is to blow up Tel Aviv,” The Jerusalem Post reported.
The IDF said Hamed Ahmed Abed Khudari, who was in charge of large-scale money transfers from Iran to Gaza, was killed Sunday. Hamas said the killing of a senior member of the organization is the first such targeted hit since 2014. …
The IDF said it carried out airstrikes in Gaza, including a tunnel, rocket launcher sites and other military compounds used by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Also, the military also struck a mosque in al-Shati in northern Gaza, which allegedly used a command and control center by Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Schools sessions were canceled across southern Israel.
Israel also announced that it is indefinitely closing the two border crossings between Israel and Gaza, as well as closing the Gaza fishing zone. The fishing zone was moved to 6 nautical miles earlier this week after a rocket fired from Gaza that landed off the coast of Israel.
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Article Source: https://www.studentnewsdaily.com/daily-news-article/israel-hit-by-600-rockets-from-gaza/
Vocabulary:
1. retaliation / noun : return of like for like; reprisal.
2. shrapnel / noun : shell fragments. : such projectiles collectively.
3. slam / verb : to shut with force and noise:
4. compound / noun : something formed by compounding or combining parts, elements, etc.
5. nautical / adjective : of or relating to sailors, ships, or navigation:
Questions:
1. The first paragraph of a news article should answer the questions who, what, where and when. List the who, what, where and when of this news item. (NOTE: The remainder of a news article provides details on the why and/or how.)
2. How many civilians have been killed and injured?
3. For what reason did Palestinian terrorist groups Islamic Jihad and Hamas begin the attacks while peace negotiations are taking place?
4.
The AP reported that the leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, said in a statement late Sunday that Hamas is “not interested in a new war” with Israel and that the militant group is ready to “return to the state of calm” if Israel stops its attacks “and immediately starts implementing understandings about a dignified life.”
What do you think about Mr. Haniyeh’s demand?
