Yet another Israeli war in the Gaza Strip seems to be looming tonight after Israeli warplanes and tanks attacked a large number of targets in Gaza. The attacks killed at least 13 people, including a number of civilians, and many children were reported wounded in one shelling. The casualties sparked threats of retaliation from factions within the tiny strip.
The attacks came after Hamas, the de facto government of Gaza, declared a unilateral ceasefire early Friday morning, and by the evening a number of factions within Hamas were already disavowing the ceasefire, citing today’s killings.
Israel said that at least 20 missiles and mortars had been fired out of the Gaza Strip since, though none did any damage. Israeli officials shrugged off the civilian deaths, saying they were Hamas’ fault for having government offices inside populated portions of the densely populated strip.
The Israeli salvo came after a Thursday flurry by Gaza factions injured two people. The sides have been trading fire for months, but Israeli casualties have been unusual. The last Israeli invasion of Gaza, in early 2009, left 1,417 Gazans dead, mostly civilians.
Oh, it's easy to see the Israeli strategy. They just kill all the civillian "shields" and then the "evil Hamas" has nowhere to hide. Don't you understand, it's all just lollipops and roses.
This just in:
Hamas Fires Anti-Tank Missile at Israeli Schoolbus Containing 50 Children; World Yawns
<< Israeli officials shrugged off the civilian deaths, saying they were Hamas’ fault for having government offices inside populated portions of the densely populated strip. >>
Well it's refreshing to see that Israeli military planners are able to take a vacation while their minions go off to attack civilians- all they have to do is brush off the standard murder plan and phone it in.
I'd like to know just where the IDF would prefer their targets to be located; in a [ densely populated ] area it's hard to know what your attackers want you to do so you can be killed more easily.
Somehow, though, even if Hamas facilities were located in the center of the Negev desert I imagine the IDF would find a way to kill innocent civilians in their homes and still want the world to believe it's not their fault.