Hamas fires mortars at southern Israel

[bemildred]

Reporting from Jerusalem—

The Islamist militant group Hamas said Saturday it had resumed mortar attacks against southern Israel for the first time in more than two years, as tensions escalated between Israel and the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

About 50 mortar shells were fired Saturday morning into Israel's Pitchat Shalom region, damaging a home and wounding two people, military officials said.

Israel retaliated by firing tank shells at several targets in Gaza, wounding five people, including three Hamas militants, Palestinian officials said.

Hamas' military wing claimed responsibility for firing 33 of the projectiles, marking the first time Hamas has acknowledged firing mortar shells into Israel since January 2009 at the end of the 22-day Israeli offensive in Gaza.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-hamas-mortars-20110320,0,848642.story

[David__77]

1. Now would be the time for anyone to make a move.

And takers? We will see.

[azurnoir]

2. self delete

[azurnoir]

3. aside from the usual tit for tat it strikes me as almost odd

that Hamas would do this right now what with people in both Gaza and the West Bank demonstrating for unity between the 2, does Hamas really think this will somehow change their minds?

the post I self deleted was about the Israeli retaliation, which of course is expected but this seems Hamas's way of trying to avoid what would IMO have led to their fall from power this is inexcusable
In Israel Bibi is using phrases like "by any means necessary" and Livni is calling OCL2, part about 40% of the electrical grid in Gaza has been taken out by Israeli retaliation already today

[bemildred]

4. Yep, seemed odd to me too, in need of some explanation. nt

[oberliner]

5. Hamas attacked Israel fearing Palestinian reconciliation

Yesterday's mortar barrage on the western Negev is the most extensive operation by Hamas since Operation Cast Lead ended in January 2009. The group has been involved in a few incidents with the Israel Defense Forces since then, but usually on a smaller scale, and it has rarely claimed responsibility.

Yesterday, Hamas publicly announced that its people were behind the latest incident. They said the reason was the Israel Air Force's attack Wednesday on the Hamas training camp in the ruins of the settlement of Netzarim in which two people were killed. That attack had been precipitated by a Qassam strike a few hours earlier near Sderot.

http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/hamas-attacked-israel-fearing-palestinian-reconciliation-1.350325

[bemildred]

7. Just one big happy family. nt

[bemildred]

8. The Mideast Israeli Military: Rocket From Gaza Hits Israel in Fresh Wave of Violence

JERUSALEM -- Palestinian militants fired a rocket into southern Israel on Sunday, while Israeli troops killed two Palestinians in a fresh wave of violence along the volatile border with Gaza.

The violence came a day after Palestinian militants fired some 50 mortar shells into Israel -- the heaviest Palestinian assault since a bruising Israeli military offensive two years ago.

Israel and Gaza's Hamas rulers have largely honored an informal cease-fire since the 2009 war, in which the Islamic militant group suffered heavy losses. Israel says the Iranian-backed Hamas has recovered, and a pattern of rocket attacks and Israeli reprisals has gained steam in recent weeks.

The Hamas-allied Popular Resistance Committees claimed responsibility for Sunday's rocket attack, which caused no injuries or damage.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/03/20/israeli-military-rocket-gaza-hits-israel-fresh-waev-violence/

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[oberliner]

10. Why Fox News?

Of all sources to choose for posting this story, why choose that one?

[bemildred]

11. The story is AP. nt

[oberliner]

12. Exactly my point

Why post a link to foxnews.com for an AP story that is carried widely across a variety of less fox-ish news sources?

[bemildred]

13. Because I don't care about such things? nt

[Rage for Order]

6. Somewhere Helen Thomas is smiling n/t