Rockets being fired at Sderot described as a 'trickle of Rockets'

Continuing airstrikes, Israel hits at Hamas

JERUSALEM: The Israeli Army continued its air campaign against the Hamas infrastructure in the Gaza Strip late Thursday and Friday, striking at least eight locations, an army spokesman said.

I couldn't believe some of the statements made in this article, if you would like to see the article and read a few of my thoughts then click read more.

One attack struck a guard post near the home of Ismail Haniya, the Palestinian prime minister and a member of Hamas, in the Shati refugee camp in Gaza City, Palestinian officials said.

'Near the home', what exactly is this? The same refugee camp? Its basically a metal shipping container, probably closer to 100 other buildings, but all of a sudden it becomes 'a guard post near Haniya's home'

The army spokesman, speaking on the condition of anonymity under army rules, said Haniya had "definitely not" been the target of the nighttime attack on Shati. Instead, the army had aimed at, and hit, "a building used by Hamas" in the camp, he said.

"A building used by Hamas" a considerably different meaning to the personal guard post for Haniya.

The guard post, described by local residents as little more than a container or a tin shack, was empty at the time of the attack. Haniya was photographed soon afterward inspecting the damage.

So all of a sudden this essential guard house protecting Haniya, is described as being little more than a tin shack and empty. It doesn't sound like a guard house for Haniya, I think it might be safe to hypothesize there might be more guards protecting Haniya right now rather than less.
So if it was a guard hose why was it empty? Is the reason because it wasn't a guard house, the newspapers and the Palestinians would like to make out it was more than it was?

[In another strike, two Hamas militants were killed and five people were wounded after an Israeli missile hit their car, security officials said, according to The Associated Press in Gaza City. The army confirmed that it had targeted militants of a Hamas rocket production team on their way to attack Israel.]

'and Five people were wounded', whats this? were they moderately wounded? Severally wounded? Pride wounded? Severally traumatized in seeing their blood thirsty murdering terrorist martyrs blown to smithereens? If I was within 5 km and I have a headache does that make me a wounded statistic?

The Israeli military campaign began May 17, soon after Hamas said it would resume its rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza, ending a fragile six-month cease-fire. Smaller Palestinian factions had consistently violated the cease-fire, firing a trickle of rockets throughout. But the number of rocket launchings rose sharply in mid-May, and about 220 rockets have been fired toward Israel since then, according to the Israeli Army.

"soon after Hamas said it would resume its rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza", interesting that the Hamas leadership can promise the stopping of rockets when it suits them, but any other time, its by independent uncontrollable smaller Palestinian factions.

Fragile cease fire? You can't be talking about when Hamas was firing rockets under the guise of being members of other 'uncontrollable' smaller organizations, at Israel almost every day.

But the mother of all quotes has to be "firing a trickle of rockets throughout" If the Journalist who wrote this article would forward their address I'm sure we could organize a trickle of rockets to be fired towards their family, then we shall see if this "so called trickle" stays a trickle. Since when does hundreds of rockets equal a trickle?? I can't believe I just read that tripe in a national news paper.

On Friday afternoon, a rocket hit the yard of a house in the Israeli border town of Sderot, slightly wounding three civilians, army officials said. The Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, claimed responsibility for that attack and for firing six rockets at Israel on Friday morning.

Note the 'slightly wounding three civilians' report from the IDF, opposed to an alternative reports from Hamas which would sound like: seriously wounding 2 elderly grandmothers, 3 mothers with babies and 7 young children .

Other Israeli airstrikes on Friday targeted buildings that the army said belonged to Hamas. There were strikes in Khan Yunis and Jabaliya. A structure that the army described as an Islamic Jihad weapons-manufacturing facility was hit in the southern town of Rafah. Palestinian officials described it as a metal workshop. In Gaza City, missiles hit a money-changing business that the army said was "involved in transferring funds to terror organizations."

The old "Metal Workshop' , why is it that the Palestinians seem to have more 'metal workshops' per capita base than any other of the world's population. Why is it in such a 'depressed economy' the metal workshop always seems to be doing a flourishing business in the Palestinian territories?

At least 21 Palestinians were wounded Friday, said Dr. Moawiya Hassanain, a spokesman for the Palestinian Ministry of Health. He said 2 of the wounded were members of the Hamas police militia known as the Executive Force, while 19 were civilians, including 3 women and 7 children.

So taking this statement at facing value, and ignoring the fact the their might be an ample supply of injuries already generated by the ongoing Palestinian infighting, we're supposed to believe that in targeting two Hamas militants who were actually good guys ('police') the Israeli armed forces managed to injure 19 other civilians of which 7 were children and three were women. Aspirin any one?

Ahmad Youssef, an adviser of Haniya, said the attack on the guard post was meant to send "a message of threats." He added, "These are all messages and signals that aim to undermine and hamper the movement of the prime minister."

No, we wouldn't be hampering the free movement of Haniya, cause that would be so morally wrong. Its alright to send hundreds of missiles across the border into Israel, but you dare not hamper the free movement of some one who advocates the complete extermination of the state of Israel. That would be just wrong!

Israeli officials have recently suggested that leaders of the political wing of Hamas should not consider themselves immune. On Thursday, the Israeli Army arrested 33 prominent Palestinians associated with Hamas in the West Bank, including a cabinet minister and several legislators and mayors. The army described those arrested as "senior members of the Hamas terror organization."

Well overdue!

The United States voiced mild criticism over the arrests. "The detention of elected members of the Palestinian government and legislature does raise particular concerns for us," said Tom Casey, a State Department spokesman.

Yes Tom Casey your absolutely right, and that's why were going to simply round them all up and have them living next to you firing a 'trickle' of missiles into your back yard.

Israel, the United States and many Western countries define Hamas as a terrorist organization. The United States refuses to deal with the Hamas ministers in the Palestinian unity government.

Terrorists? That's a bit harsh. All these guys want is a fair go at killing civilians. Geez no need to be so down on them. Things used to be so much easier when you threw passengers out plane windows and people in wheel chairs overboard.

The Israeli military has focused its attacks on rocket-launching cells, Hamas military positions and weapons storage facilities. One Israeli woman has been killed and two civilians have been seriously wounded by the recent barrages of rockets fired from Gaza.

How many of Sderots residents have been incapacitated by psychological trauma? Can you imagine sitting your higher school certificate whilst rockets were being fired around you? Whats the cost to the population of Sderot? An entire city is slowly being destroyed by the actions of these terrorists.

Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president and a member of Fatah, has been trying to persuade the various Palestinian factions, including Hamas, to cease the rocket fire, in the hope of restoring the cease-fire.

Yes lets cease the fire of rockets, reach a cease fire agreement and then we'll let the 'uncontrollable' smaller factions fire rockets at Israel. Ok who wants to be in a smaller uncontrollable faction? Put your hand up? Ok no need to rush here fellows the cease fire talks will give us plenty of time to organize a few uncontrollable elements.

[The factions met at Abbas's offices in Gaza, but Abbas did not attend, The Associated Press reported. Participants said it ended without agreement.]

Can't see why Abbas wouldn't attend? Its not like Hamas was trying to assassinate him or anything?

[Egypt will act as host to talks in the coming days with Palestinian politicians, Palestinian and Egyptian officials said Friday, Reuters reported from the West Bank city of Ramallah. The Palestinian deputy prime minister, Azzam al-Ahmad, a close aide to Abbas, said he and another Fatah leader, Rawhi Fattouh, would travel to Cairo on Saturday to meet Egyptian officials.]

Yes nothing like a little bit of Egyptian input to get things going. How are those negotiations going for the three soldiers, Egypt?

Though Fatah sits in the unity government with Hamas, they remain bitter rivals. About 50 Palestinians were killed in a recent bout of fighting between the two factions.

Bitter rivals? No that's not true they just like practicing killing each other in preparation for the real deal when Israel makes the concessions required to make Israel a totally indefensible state.

At a rally in the Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza on Friday, a Hamas leader, Nizar Rayyan, criticized Abbas for trying to end the rocket fire. "We will not listen to him," Rayyan said of the president, according to Reuters. "Abbas hates rockets just like we hate the Jews."

Nizar Rayyan you're the prefect example of the real intentions of most Palestinians especially Hamas supporters.


References:
International Herald Tribune: Continuing airstrikes, Israel hits at Hamas

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