Palestine Resistance Hits Ashkelon with Grad Missiles
Source: Al-Manar TV, 14-11-2008
Confrontations flared again around Gaza on Friday, wounding two Palestinians, as UN food delivery to 750,000 people ground to a halt in the besieged coastal strip.
Several rockets fired by Gaza resistance fighters hit southern occupied territories and one "Israeli" settler in the frequently targeted city of Sderot was hospitalized with shrapnel wounds, "Israeli" police spokesman said. Three more settlers were sent into shock as a result of the attack.
At least three rockets hit Ashkelon without causing any casualties, emergency services said. Hamas said it had targeted the port city with five Grads - military-grade missiles that have a longer range than the makeshift weapons usually fired into southern occupied territories. The Islamic resistance movement which rules the Gaza Strip said it also fired eight rockets at Sderot.
The military wing of the Hamas Islamic resistance movement issued a statement saying that launching these missiles into the occupied territories was in response to the ongoing "Israeli" occupation crimes against the Palestinians. The statement added that the ceasefire truce would not be stop the resistance movement from retaliating on any "Israeli" foolish act against the Palestinian people and its resistance.
One rocket slammed into a kibbutz near the border, causing some damage, Rosenfeld said as radio urged residents to remain close to shelters.
In Gaza, two resistance fighters were wounded in an "Israeli" air strike, medics and witnesses said. Violence has rocked a fragile five-month-old truce in recent days and prompted "Israel" to tighten the blockade of Gaza which it claims is aimed at making fighters end rocket and mortar attacks. "Israel" usually allows a limited quantity of vital goods into Gaza but it completely sealed off the territory on November 5.
Earlier, the Hamas official, Taher a-Nunu, pointed out that "Israel" has not eased the restriction on movement of people and goods into and out of the Gaza Strip since the ceasefire went into effect five months ago. "A continuation of the siege during the lull is unacceptable to us," he said.
A-Nunu was skeptical of "Israel's" claim that last week's operation that brought an end to the truce was aimed at thwarting a "terrorist attack" in the making. The "Israeli" occupation army destroyed a tunnel it claims was being used as a conduit for fighters to capture soldiers.
"Even if there was a tunnel, it was not inside the occupied territories," he said. When asked of "Israel's" accusation that Hamas is using the lull in fighting to boost its weapons arsenal, a-Nunu asked: "Doesn't "Israel" arm itself and augment its military might during the lull?"
The UN Works and Relief Agency says the closure has forced it to suspend its distribution of food rations to half of Gaza's 1.5 million population.
"We have no food," said UNRWA spokesman Chris Gunness. "Our warehouses are empty."
"Israeli" War Minister Ehud Barak decided on Thursday night to maintain the closure of the Gaza crossings after rockets were fired at the occupied territories. "Israel" also cut off European Union-funded fuel supplies to Gaza's sole power plant on Thursday, prompting it to shut down.
Humanitarian agencies warned that the closure would lead to a further deterioration of the already precarious situation. "It means children, mothers, elderly people, among the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in the Middle East, are not going to get UN assistance," Gunness said.
The European Union stressed that international law requires the provision of essential services to civilians.
"I call on "Israel" to reopen the crossings for humanitarian and commercial flows, in particular food and medicines," said EU Commissioner for External Relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner.
"Facilitation of fuel deliveries for the Gaza power plant should be resumed immediately," she said, also urging all parties to exercise restraint.
"Israeli" authorities initially said 30 truckloads of supplies would be allowed into Gaza on Thursday, but then turned the vehicles back.
Meanwhile, "Israeli" Industry, Trade and Labor Minister Eli Yishai called for an urgent Security Cabinet meeting to discuss the resumption of rocket fire from Gaza.
"In practice, there is no truce, and we cannot tolerate a situation in which Sderot and Gaza belt residents are abandoned," Yishai told Army Radio on Friday morning. "There is a deterioration that must be dealt with."
Confrontations flared again around Gaza on Friday, wounding two Palestinians, as UN food delivery to 750,000 people ground to a halt in the besieged coastal strip.
Several rockets fired by Gaza resistance fighters hit southern occupied territories and one "Israeli" settler in the frequently targeted city of Sderot was hospitalized with shrapnel wounds, "Israeli" police spokesman said. Three more settlers were sent into shock as a result of the attack.
At least three rockets hit Ashkelon without causing any casualties, emergency services said. Hamas said it had targeted the port city with five Grads - military-grade missiles that have a longer range than the makeshift weapons usually fired into southern occupied territories. The Islamic resistance movement which rules the Gaza Strip said it also fired eight rockets at Sderot.
The military wing of the Hamas Islamic resistance movement issued a statement saying that launching these missiles into the occupied territories was in response to the ongoing "Israeli" occupation crimes against the Palestinians. The statement added that the ceasefire truce would not be stop the resistance movement from retaliating on any "Israeli" foolish act against the Palestinian people and its resistance.
One rocket slammed into a kibbutz near the border, causing some damage, Rosenfeld said as radio urged residents to remain close to shelters.
In Gaza, two resistance fighters were wounded in an "Israeli" air strike, medics and witnesses said. Violence has rocked a fragile five-month-old truce in recent days and prompted "Israel" to tighten the blockade of Gaza which it claims is aimed at making fighters end rocket and mortar attacks. "Israel" usually allows a limited quantity of vital goods into Gaza but it completely sealed off the territory on November 5.
Earlier, the Hamas official, Taher a-Nunu, pointed out that "Israel" has not eased the restriction on movement of people and goods into and out of the Gaza Strip since the ceasefire went into effect five months ago. "A continuation of the siege during the lull is unacceptable to us," he said.
A-Nunu was skeptical of "Israel's" claim that last week's operation that brought an end to the truce was aimed at thwarting a "terrorist attack" in the making. The "Israeli" occupation army destroyed a tunnel it claims was being used as a conduit for fighters to capture soldiers.
"Even if there was a tunnel, it was not inside the occupied territories," he said. When asked of "Israel's" accusation that Hamas is using the lull in fighting to boost its weapons arsenal, a-Nunu asked: "Doesn't "Israel" arm itself and augment its military might during the lull?"
The UN Works and Relief Agency says the closure has forced it to suspend its distribution of food rations to half of Gaza's 1.5 million population.
"We have no food," said UNRWA spokesman Chris Gunness. "Our warehouses are empty."
"Israeli" War Minister Ehud Barak decided on Thursday night to maintain the closure of the Gaza crossings after rockets were fired at the occupied territories. "Israel" also cut off European Union-funded fuel supplies to Gaza's sole power plant on Thursday, prompting it to shut down.
Humanitarian agencies warned that the closure would lead to a further deterioration of the already precarious situation. "It means children, mothers, elderly people, among the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in the Middle East, are not going to get UN assistance," Gunness said.
The European Union stressed that international law requires the provision of essential services to civilians.
"I call on "Israel" to reopen the crossings for humanitarian and commercial flows, in particular food and medicines," said EU Commissioner for External Relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner.
"Facilitation of fuel deliveries for the Gaza power plant should be resumed immediately," she said, also urging all parties to exercise restraint.
"Israeli" authorities initially said 30 truckloads of supplies would be allowed into Gaza on Thursday, but then turned the vehicles back.
Meanwhile, "Israeli" Industry, Trade and Labor Minister Eli Yishai called for an urgent Security Cabinet meeting to discuss the resumption of rocket fire from Gaza.
"In practice, there is no truce, and we cannot tolerate a situation in which Sderot and Gaza belt residents are abandoned," Yishai told Army Radio on Friday morning. "There is a deterioration that must be dealt with."
