The Israeli Air Force bombed seven terror targets, four in southern Gaza and three in the north around midnight Thursday after Gaza terrorists ignored the Islamic Jihad’s ceasefire announcement.
Eight short-range exploded in southern Israel between noon and night, and additional eight rockets missed their targets and landed in Gaza., causing damage to a home, IDF Spokesman Peter Lerner said in a statement after midnight. The Iron Dome intercepted two of the missiles aimed at Israeli civilians.
“Civilians in southern Israel face an unbearable reality, a reality the IDF will not allow to become routine,” Lerner said, “We will continue to retaliate to the aggression emanating from the Hamas run Gaza Strip. Militants attacking Israel from the Gaza Strip will not feel safe, will pay the price and will find that their actions are futile.”
Islamic Jihad claimed that it did not fore any of the rockets after it announced that Egypt had brokered a ceasefire. Israel denied it was part of any agreement, but Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon said “quiet would be met with quiet.” He also said that rocket fire will be met with rocket fire.
It was apparent that both Islamic and Israel were interested in putting an end to the latest round of attacks and retaliations, but there are dozens of minor terrorist organizations in Gaza who always are interested in throwing their weight around.
The ceasefire that is not a ceasefire still may come into existence in the next couple of days if Hamas sees it has nothing to gain by an all-out Israeli attack and if it has the capability or controlling smaller terror gangs.
Hamas has little room to maneuver. Having been isolated by Hamas, its only real allies are Hezbollah and Iran.
The only thing it might gain from continued conflict with Israel is breaking up the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s peace talk show, but Kerry so far has displayed amazing talents at doing that without any outside help.