Israel Strikes Gaza, Killing Militant after Soldier Shot

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Israel launched an air strike in southern Gaza on Wednesday and killed a Hamas militant after a sniper attack on a patrol seriously wounded a soldier, the army and medics said.

It was only the second time Israel had struck Gaza since a 50-day war ended with a truce on August 26, after witnesses reported a first strike early on Saturday.

The Israeli military said it acted after its troops came under fire from a sniper while they were on the Israeli side of the border fence.

"As a result of the attack, an IDF combat soldier from the Bedouin Reconnaissance Battalion suffered a severe chest injury," an army statement said.

"In response to the firing at our forces, who were east of the fence in the southern Gaza Strip, we carried out immediate attacks against the relevant targets. There was an air strike and one by a tank," it said.

Palestinian medical sources said Tayseer al-Ismary, 33, was killed "as a result of gunfire and shrapnel from a tank shell" in the incident east of the southern city of Khan Yunis.

Hamas sources said he was a member of its military wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades.

Israeli army spokesman Peter Lerner denounced the attack.

"Hamas sniper attack is an outrageous act of aggression. IDF will continue to protect its forces and the border area," he wrote on Twitter, noting the military had instructed Gazan farmers to keep away from the border area "for their own safety".

Hamas blamed Israel.

"The Israeli occupation is responsible for the tension east of Khan Yunis. They tried to cross the border, provoking a response from Hamas," spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Israel would "react firmly to any attempt to call into question calm in the south (of Israel) following Operation Protective Edge", referring to the July-August military offensive against rocket-firing militants in the Gaza Strip.

On Saturday, after a rocket struck southern Israel, the air force hit Gaza for the first time since the truce took hold. Since then, three rockets have hit the Israeli south.

A month ago Israeli troops killed a Palestinian near the border fence in northern Gaza in the first deadly shooting since the truce. Wednesday's shooting was the second such fatal incident.

The exchanges have raised concerns there could be a new flare up of violence in and around the tiny Palestinian enclave, which is home to 1.8 million people.

Nearly 2,200 Palestinians were killed during the July-August war, mostly civilians, and 73 on the Israeli side, most of them soldiers.

Comments 13
Thumb Mystic 24 December 2014, 12:56

Bombs Gaza and provides takfiris medical treatment on open screen.

Default-user-icon mystic.the.engineer (Guest) 24 December 2014, 13:18

well said @mystic

Missing peace 24 December 2014, 13:46

but how can you be mad? you hezbi lovers said that hamas were traitors sold to saudis! so if they are bombed you should rejoice no?
funny logic you have according to where the wind blows from....

Thumb _mowaten_ 24 December 2014, 14:38

1- they are bombing gaza, meaning lots of civilians will die and suffer from this
2- hamas did turn its coat, but we didn't say what you claimed. hezbollah continued to support, train, arm and help them, and what we said is how noble that was from HA, to see the bigger picture and still stand with hamas against israel, because that is the true enemy.

but hey, i know you have nothing to answer to what we say, so nevermind, keep inventing stuff and attributing them to us, then pretend you're answering it.

Missing peace 24 December 2014, 16:30

lol! when we pointed out that hamas was supporting the syrian revolution saying it was a fight for freedom you were the first to spit at us as usual sayng they were now corrupted by saudis...

do not try to pretend what you never said... oh! but i believe hezbi rhetoric on that subject changed so then did you... poor hypocrits you are...

Thumb _mowaten_ 24 December 2014, 16:32

gee man you're really thick. keep turning in circles if you like, but without me. i made my point clear above, if you can't get it then you won't get it no matter how much i explain it to you.

Missing peace 24 December 2014, 16:45

the day you ll stop defending and justifying bashar war crimes and murder of civilians then you may come and lecture others.. till then you are just a biased little hezbi propagandist...

Thumb Mystic 25 December 2014, 09:54

IDF bombs Gaza children with no remorse, then the IDF doctors and nurses, saves takfiris in Golan with extreme passion.

That is not a coincidence.

Thumb _mowaten_ 24 December 2014, 15:35

what is misleading is your hasbara disinformation.

http://electronicintifada.net/blogs/maureen-clare-murphy/israel-violates-gaza-ceasefire-nearly-every-day

Thumb _mowaten_ 24 December 2014, 16:37

you're an israeli who never fails to come here to defend israeli policies and justify their murders and war crimes. but you're not fooling anyone.

Thumb _mowaten_ 24 December 2014, 16:42

also, i find it revolting that you ask me how many palestinians your occupation forces killed. the least of decency would require you to know who you're killing, not needing people to tell you.
and if you really dont know, then read the article i linked above.

Thumb nickjames 24 December 2014, 18:55

Funny how Hamas openly sided with the takfiri against Bashar, but the Hezbos don't accuse them if being takfiri supporters.

Thumb nickjames 24 December 2014, 18:55

Accuse them of*