35-missile salvo against "Israeli" settlements injures 15

Source: World Tribune, 16-5-2007
TEL AVIV - Palestinian gunners launched one of the heaviest missile salvos against "Israel" since last year`s war with Hizbullah.
Palestinian gunners fired more than 35 Kassam-class, short-range missiles toward the "Israeli" settlements of Sderot and Netivot. On Tuesday evening, at least 15 people were injured, including one seriously, in an attack for which Hamas claimed responsibility.
The Palestinian missiles were fired every 30 minutes, and two of them struck homes in Sderot.
"Israeli" military sources said the Palestinian strike was expected amid the Fatah-Hamas militia war. The sources said Hamas was believed to have fired the missiles in an attempt to prompt an "Israeli" invasion and end internecine fighting in the Gaza Strip.
"We have no intention of getting involved in these clashes," Defense (War) Minister Amir Peretz said.
"Israel`s" military responded by firing toward open areas in the northern Gaza Strip. On Wednesday, hundreds of Sderot residents left their homes for communities near Jerusalem (al-Quds) in a non-government evacuation.
"The ["Israeli"] response will be determined by the number of casualties," Yoav Limor, the military analyst for "Israel`s" state television, said.
"Israel`s" military has sought to block Hamas operations near the eastern border fence with the Jewish (Zionist) state. On Tuesday, three "Israeli" Merkava-class main battle tanks entered the Gaza Strip to confront a Hamas force.
A senior "Israeli" military officer in Southern Command said the Gaza Strip was becoming a strategic danger to "Israel". The officer said Hamas and other Palestinian militias were smuggling huge amounts of explosives, weapons as well as anti-aircraft missiles from Egypt`s Sinai Peninsula.
"There is no [PA] interest in stopping the Kassams," [Res.] Brig. Gen. Shmuel Zaka, former chief of staff of Southern Command, said. "Every faction does what it wants and each of them has an agenda."