Wed 13 November 2019:
Wednesday, November 13
Palestinian factions fire rockets towards Israel
Palestinian factions have launched rocket fire towards towards southern Israel.
It appears that Hamas, the group that governs the Gaza Strip, was opting out of the fighting for now.
A diplomatic source told Reuters News Agency the United Nations Middle East envoy was on his way to Egypt’s Cairo to begin mediation efforts.
Gaza: Ministry of Education suspends classes
Universities in the Gaza Strip have suspended classes until further notice, Maan News Agency reported.
The Ministry of Education has also announced the suspension of classes in schools run by the United Nations’ agency for Palestinian refugees across the enclave.
A large crowd of Palestinians march during the funeral procession of assassinated Palestinian Islamic Jihad commander Baha Abu al-Atta. #Gaza #Israel pic.twitter.com/alpMrzx1YJ
— Joe Truzman (@Jtruzmah) November 12, 2019
Air raids resume in Gaza Strip: local media
Israel has resumed bombardment of the Gaza Strip, according to local media reports.
Israeli fighter jets targetted various areas of the coastal enclave, including the city’s centre, as well as agricultural lands in the eastern part of the Strip, Maan News Agency said.
Israeli forces killed a top Islamic Jihad commander in an air raid on his home in Gaza City, threatening to unleash another devastating round of violence.
The Palestinian group announced the death in a statement on Tuesday after Israel confirmed it hit Bahaa Abu al-Ata, 42, in an attack.
Shortly after the attack, salvos of rockets were launched from Gaza into Israel, with sirens wailing across central and southern parts of the country. Medical sources said dozens of Israelis were treated.
In response to the rocket barrage, dozens of air strikes were launched on Gaza, killing at least 10 Palestinians and injuring about 40 others.
Israeli shelling of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip has killed at least three more Palestinians, bringing the death toll for the day to 10, according to the enclave’s health ministry.
More than 40 others were also wounded in the Palestinian enclave since the morning, the ministry reported.
Israel declares state of emergency near Gaza
Israeli Defense Minister Naftali Bennett announced a special state of emergency for 48 hours in areas within an 80 kilometers (650 miles) range surrounding Gaza.
Israel says 30 attacks carried out in Gaza
The Israeli army carried out at least 30 air raids and artillery attacks on several areas of the Gaza Strip, according to the government’s media office.
“More than 20 Israeli air strikes and 10 artillery shelling have been marked in different parts of the enclave since early Tuesday,” it said in a statement.
Targets included agricultural lands, residential buildings and a number of sites of Palestinian factions.
Israel-Gaza border area ‘under lockdown’
The areas around the fringe of the border between Israel and Gaza are under a tight security lockdown, Al Jazeera’s Harry Fawcett reported.
“We are unable to go any further than about five kilometres or so away from the border because of a police road closure,” Hawcett said, reporting from the Gaza border.
“The rocket fire still continues and so does the Israeli response. We heard and saw a rocket coming out from Gaza territory behind us heading north. It was intercepted by the Iron Dome in the skies overhead.
“We also heard Israeli warplanes overhead, so it seems another round of air attacks could well be under way over Gaza and inside Gaza.”
Netanyahu slammed by Arab MKs
Arab members of the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament, accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of escalating the situation in the Gaza Strip for his political survival.
“The man who lost consecutive elections will leave the ground burned in a desperate attempt to stay in his position,” MK Ayman Odeh said on Twitter.
“For a decade, he [Netanyahu] worked every morning to prolong the occupation and undermine prospects for peace and this is what he did today as well.”
MK Walid Taha warned Netanyahu’s policy of escalation would drag the region into a “real disaster”.
“What is happening threatens the security of the entire region and the lives of millions of innocent people in Gaza Strip,” he said.”Israel is in danger as a result of Netanyahu’s aggressive policies.”
Widespread anger in Gaza
Al Jazeera Arabic’s Wael al-Dahdouh, reporting from Gaza, said there is a “high degree of anger” in the city.
“The overnight operation reminded people in Gaza of previous assassinations that targeted Palestinian activists and high-level commanders from Palestinian resistance groups in their homes,” he said.
“Anger is also among the various Palestinians groups in Gaza … because an attack on the Islamic Jihad means potential attacks on other groups as well.”
Israel ‘preparing for number of days of fighting’
Rockets struck the south of Israel and warning sirens wailed in Tel Aviv, although there were no immediate reports of hits on the seaside city.
“We are preparing for a number of days of fighting,” Israeli army spokesman Jonathan Conricus said.
The army ordered “non-essential” workers in Tel Aviv and central Israel to stay at home and schools and universities to close while banning public gatherings.
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES
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