Tense quiet after night of heavy fire as Israeli aircraft bomb targets across Gaza, strip's militants fired rockets
A tense quiet has taken hold after a night of heavy fire as Israeli aircraft bombed targets across the Gaza Strip and Gaza militants fired rockets into Israel.
School in southern Israel was cancelled on Tuesday following the violence that erupted just two weeks ahead of Israeli elections.
The cross-border fighting was triggered by a surprise rocket fired early Monday from Gaza that slammed into a house in central Israel and wounded seven people. Gaza's Hamas rulers announced later in the day that Egyptian mediators had brokered a cease-fire but the firing continued.
The attack prompted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cut short a visit to Washington and return home. He promised a tough response, setting the stage for perhaps the most serious conflict since a 50-day war in 2014.
"We gave a very, very strong response, and Hamas needs to know that we will not hesitate to enter and do all the necessary steps," the premier said.
He added he would attend security meetings held at the Kirya defence base in Tel Aviv on his return.
Israeli aircraft pounded at least 15 targets within Gaza including destroying the offices of Hamas's political leader Ismail Haniyeh, that the army said had "served as an office for many military meetings."
Mr Haniyeh issued a statement warning Israel against heavy retaliation. He said the Palestinian people "will not surrender" and its militant factions "will deter the enemy if it exceeds the red lines."
Another blast destroyed a multistory building in Gaza City that Israel said had served as a Hamas military intelligence headquarters.
Meanwhile in Israel the authorities opened public bomb shelters in most major cities and civil defense authorities cancelled sports events and public transportation in southern Israel.
The Israeli army barred all large gatherings in the border regions and closed schools.
Mr Netanyahu had earlier warned Israel would “not tolerate” the rocket fire from Gaza, at meetings in the White House where US President Donald Trump signed a controversial declaration recognising Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights.
Mr Trump’s decision to recognise Israel's hold on the Golan, departed with decades of US policy and international consensus on the area, ratcheting up tensions in the region.
Israeli seized control of the Golan Heights from Syria during 1967. The de facto annexation has been declared illegal by the United Nations and is not recognised by bodies like the European Union.
This week's rocket attack and cross-border exchange of fire comes just weeks ahead of an Israeli election which Mr Netanyahu is hoping to win despite campaigning under the shadow of possible indictment in three corruption cases. It was also the second long-range rocket attack on Israel from Gaza in under two weeks.
The embattled premier is locked in a tight race with a centrist coalition spearheaded Benny Gantz, the country’s ex-army chief who led the last war with Gaza in 2014, and has recruited two former army chiefs to his ranks.
The violence also erupted ahead of the year anniversary of regular protests Gaza residents have held at the border fence with Israel.
Since March 30 2018, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have marched on the border demanding the right to return to their ancestral lands they fled or were forced from during the conflict which surrounded the creation of Israel in 1948.
At least 180 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire according to the UN which accused the army of committing possible war crimes.
The Israelis have defended their actions saying Gaza protesters have repeatedly stormed the border fences and fired explosives attached to balloons at Israel endangering lives.
Further rallies and protests are expected to be head on the anniversary.
abc/independent
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