A Hamas terrorist squad entered Israel through a smuggling tunnel from the Gaza Strip killing two IDF soldiers. Israel continues to call up reservists, as troop mass along the Gaza border for a possible expansion of a ground campaign within the Gaza Strip.
For the second time, Israel has shot down an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) coming from the Gaza Strip on Thursday night. Meanwhile, Israel launched a ground campaign in Gaza last night, and the IDF suffered its first casualty of Operation Protective Edge. At least 20 Palestinians were killed overnight according to Palestinian media sources.
Israel sent ground forces into the Gaza Strip on Thursday evening to find and destroy terror tunnels and destroy Hamas’ infrastructure, Israeli officials said.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency found some 20 rockets during a routine inspection in one of their schools in Gaza, the UN confirmed on Thursday.
Israel accepted a five-hour unilateral UN ceasefire proposal to allow humanitarian relief to enter Gaza. Meanwhile, the IDF thwarted at least 13 terrorists who tried to infiltrate Israel through a tunnel near Kibbutz Sufa, south of the Gaza Strip.
Israelis were awaken early in the morning as a heavy barrage of rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip. At least six rockets were intercepted over Ashkelon and two rockets were intercepted over Kiryat Malachi by the Iron Dome around 8 AM. Overnight, Israel conducted airstrikes on thirty terror targets throughout the Gaza Strip.
Israel restarted its attacks against Hamas Tuesday afternoon, after Israel’s acceptance of a ceasefire was met with over 50 rockets from Hamas.
Israel accepted a Egyptian proposed ceasefire that went into effect at 9 AM, while Hamas’ armed wing rejected the offer completely saying it was “surrender.” If the ceasefire does not hold, Israel vowed to respond in force. Over the seven days of Operation Protective Edge, Israel has struck over 1,500 terrorist related targets in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas launched an unmanned aircraft for the first time from the Gaza Strip which was destroyed near Ashdod as scores of rockets continued to rain down on Israel.
While rockets landed in Tel Aviv and towns near the Lebanon border, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepared his nation that Operation Protective Edge could “take time.” Israel continued to build forces on the Gaza border as it warned some residents to leave their homes in preparation of a ground operation.
Hamas is broadcasting threats in Hebrew and threatened Israelis with a ‘return to suicide bombings, stabbings, and other terror attacks,’ according to Palestinian Media Watch.
Over the past 24 hours, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) struck over 200 targets in Gaza, while Hamas continued to launch rockets into Israel — including rockets landing in Hebron and Bethlehem, heavily populated Arab towns. Several rockets land in the upper Galilee from Lebanon.
While Israel and Hamas continued to exchange hostilities, the U.N. Security Council urged a cessation of hostilities on Saturday.
Israel is massing troops along the Gaza border for a major ground offensive in Gaza. Meanwhile, for the first time since the beginning of hostilities a rocket was fired from Lebanon into Metula, a Israeli town on the Lebanese border.
As the war between Israel and Hamas continues, U.S. President Obama called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to deter Israel from commencing a ground operation in Gaza.
As Palestinian TV reported on the gallant terrorist attack by Hamas on Zikim, Israel released video footage showing how the terrorist attack was thwarted in the elimination of several terrorists. Meanwhile, on Palestinian TV, Hamas Spokesman glorified the use of human shields.
The UN Security Council will meet on Thursday at 10 AM EST to discuss the growing hostilities between Israel and Palestinians, which UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said was “troubling.”
Israel has destroyed 550 targets in Gaza, while Hamas continued to fire rockets into Israel. Hamas fired three rockets fired toward Dimona, one of which was shot down by the Iron Dome Missile Defense system, while the others landed in open areas.
Hundreds of Muslims flooded the Temple Mount on Tuesday afternoon in celebration of the barrage of rockets fired upon Israel, as Israel continued its “Operation Protective Edge.”
Israel attacked over 350 terror related sites in the Gaza Strip as the nation fell under a barrage of rockets, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. An extended operation is planned against Hamas as the the Israel Cabinet called up 40,000 reservists earlier in the day.