Either Hamas is in control of Gaza, or it is not. It cannot have it both ways. What other country but Israel would be expected to tolerate the intolerable: an unstable, selectively sovereign neighbor with a stated intention of destroying its neighbor, and that can hide behind plausible deniability (or not) to lob rockets over the border at will?
“Over 90 rockets hit Israel since Friday,” by Ilana Curiel for YNet News, March 10:
Palestinians from northern Gaza fired rockets at Beersheba, Ashdod and Gan Yavne early Saturday morning as the Color Red alert was sounded across Israel’s southern cities.
The IDF estimates that over 90 rockets have been fired at Israel since Friday, some 65 exploded in the south. Meanwhile, a new Israeli air strike in Gaza killed two Palestinians riding on a motorcyle, Hamas officials and medics said on Saturday.
The attack followed the firing of rockets at Israel at the weekend, raises the death toll in escalating violence since Friday to 14.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke over the phone with Ashkelon Mayor Benny Vaknin following the escalation in the south. Netanyahu expressed support and interest in the well-being of Ashkelon residents suffering from the ongoing rocket attacks on the city.
IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz held a special situation assessment on Saturday given the recent rocket attacks in the south. Officials decided that the IDF will respond with determination to any attack on Israel. The officials also praised the Iron Dome system which successfully managed to intercept rockets fired at southern communities.
Deputy IDF chief, Southern Command head, an Air Force official, Home Front Command head, Operational Branch head, IDF spokesman all took part in the meeting.
The Iron Dome has successfully intercepted 25 out of 27 rockets fired at Beersheba, Ashdod and Ashkelon. The other two rockets exploded in open fields.
These are the highest success rates for the defense system to date. Gantz praised the IDF officials in charge of operating the system during the situation assessment. […]
Earlier Saturday, Gaza sources claimed 12 Palestinians have been killed in IDF attacks overnight, including a commander of the militant group behind the abduction of Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier who was held captive for more than five years and freed in a prisoner swap for more than 1,000 Palestinians.
The Israeli military said it initially targeted Zuhair al-Qaissi, the commander of the armed wing of the Popular Resistance Committee, a large militant group closely aligned with Gaza’s Hamas rulers. The explosion tore apart al-Qaissi’s blue sedan and killed his son-in-law, Mahmoud Hanini – himself a top PRC field commander…..