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Follow Us on TwitterIsraeli air force strikes Gaza 25Jun13 June 25, 2013
Ma’an News Agency - 25 June 2013
GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Israeli aircraft shelled several Islamic Jihad sites in Gaza on Monday morning in response to rocket fire.
A Ma’an reporter said several F16 aircraft shelled four sites belonging to the military wing of Islamic Jihad, Saraya al-Quds, in Rafah.
Shelling was also reported in empty areas near the Asda city in Khan Younis and in the Deir al-Balah district, including the al-Zawayda village.
Tunnels were also targeted along the Rafah border, with no injuries reported.
Israel also shut down all crossings into Gaza, Palestinian Authority liaison official Raed Fattouh said.
Fattouh said he was told the closure was for “security reasons.”
A source said Israel would only be allowing humanitarian cases through the passenger crossing Erez in northern Gaza.
The Israeli army said it targeted two weapon storage facilities and a rocket launch site and that Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system had intercepted two rockets.
In a statement, Lt. Col. Peter Lerner described the rocket fire as “an intolerable act of aggression against Israel and its civilians. Hamas is held accountable for all acts of terrorism deriving from the Gaza Strip,” and the Israeli army is “determined to safeguard” Israel.
The army also said Israel’s Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories would be closing Kerem Shalom cargo crossing “until further notice,” but did not provide further details on the passenger crossing.
Speaking to public radio on Monday morning, head of the parliamentary foreign and defense committee Avigdor Lieberman said Israel should consider reoccupying the Gaza Strip and “cleansing” it.
“It’s not simple, but on the long run there will be no choice if we want to see a different reality there,” Lieberman said of Gaza.
The rocket fire followed the announcement Sunday that Islamic Jihad was temporarily suspending ties with Hamas, accusing Gaza authorities of being responsible for the death of one of the group’s members.
Raed Qassim Jundeyeih, a member of Islamic Jihad’s militant wing, the Al-Quds Brigades, died on Sunday after being shot a day earlier by Hamas police officers.
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