Israel planes launch air strikes on Gaza Strip

[joeblow]

Israel planes launch air strikes on Gaza Strip

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle ... 372800.stm

Several Palestinians have been injured after Israeli aircraft carried out airstrikes against targets in the Gaza Strip, officials say.

    Israel's military said the attacks targeted two weapons-making factories and a smuggling tunnel.

    The strikes were in retaliation for a rocket fired into southern Israel from the Hamas-controlled enclave, it added.

    The attacks came a day after Hamas and other Gaza-based militants said they were going to stop firing rockets.

    Fathi Hammad, who acts as Hamas interior minister, said the ceasefire aimed to prevent retaliatory attacks by Israel and build stability.

    But he said rockets would continue to be fired from the Gaza Strip in the event of any Israeli incursions.

    Sporadic attacks

    Israel's military said Sunday's air strikes were in response to a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip on Saturday which caused no damage when it landed near the southern Israeli city of Sderot.

    Hamas has observed a ceasefire for months, but other groups have carried out sporadic cross-border attacks.

    Israel says rocket-building materials are still being smuggled into Gaza through tunnels dug from the Egyptian border.

    Rocket attacks have decreased since Israeli forces launched an offensive against Hamas in the Gaza strip last December and January.

    About 1,300 Palestinians and 10 Israeli soldiers were killed in the three weeks of fighting. Three Israeli citizens also died in rocket attacks during the operation.