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<div class="header reader-header reader-show-element" dir="ltr"> <font
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href="https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/maureen-clare-murphy/ten-killed-gaza-israel-instigates-new-war">https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/maureen-clare-murphy/ten-killed-gaza-israel-instigates-new-war</a></font>
<h1 class="reader-title">Ten killed in Gaza as Israel instigates
new war</h1>
<p class="node__submitted">
<span class="field field-author"><a
href="https://electronicintifada.net/people/maureen-clare-murphy">Maureen
Clare Murphy</a></span> <span class="field field-blog">-
</span><span class="field field-publication-date"><span
class="date-display-single"
content="2019-11-12T21:02:53+00:00">12 November 2019</span></span>
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<article>
<figure id="file-86136"><source media="(min-width:
72rem)"><figcaption><small><span></span></small></figcaption></figure>
<p>Israeli missile strikes on Gaza and rocket fire from
the territory continued late Tuesday evening after the
assassination of an Islamic Jihad leader earlier in
the day set off the most serious military
confrontation in months.</p>
<p>Ten Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes
during the day, <a
href="https://twitter.com/press221/status/1194357638995140608">according
to</a> Gaza’s health ministry. Meanwhile, Israel
closed the besieged territory’s crossing points and
reduced the fishing zone to six nautical miles off of
Gaza’s coast.</p>
<p>The spokesperson for Islamic Jihad’s military wing <a
href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-kills-islamic-jihad-gaza-rockets-tel-aviv-hamas-damscus-syria-1.8118652">vowed
late Tuesday</a> that the “coming hours will mark a
victory for the Palestinian people. Israel began this
campaign, but it will be notified when it ends.”</p>
<p>Baha Abu al-Ata, 42, described by Israeli media as
the northern military commander of Islamic Jihad in
Gaza, was killed in an airstrike on his home in the
Shujaiyeh neighborhood of Gaza City.</p>
<p>His wife, Asma Abu al-Ata, 38, was also killed in the
Israeli attack. Seven other people, including four
children, were injured and nearby houses and a school
were damaged.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, in the Syrian capital, the home of Akram
al-Ajouri, the head of Islamic Jihad’s military wing,
was targeted in an airstrike. Syria <a
href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-palestinians-blast/israel-kills-islamic-jihad-commander-rockets-rain-from-gaza-idUSKBN1XM08E">blamed
Israel</a> for the attack.</p>
<p>Two people were <a
href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-palestinians-blast/israel-kills-islamic-jihad-commander-rockets-rain-from-gaza-idUSKBN1XM08E">reported
killed</a> in the strike, including one of
al-Ajouri’s sons.</p>
<p>Palestinian fighters in Gaza responded to the attacks
with rocket fire that reached as far as Tel Aviv. Ziad
al-Nakhala, Islamic Jihad’s secretary-general, <a
href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/islamic-jihad-head-we-are-going-to-war-netanyahu-crossed-all-red-lines/">stated</a>
that “we are going to war” and that Israel’s prime
minister “crossed all the red lines” by assassinating
Abu al-Ata.</p>
<p>A toy factory in Sderot, a town in southern Israel,
was among the sites <a
href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-palestinians-blast/israel-kills-islamic-jihad-commander-rockets-rain-from-gaza-idUSKBN1XM08E">hit</a>
by rockets fired from Gaza, and security camera
footage showed a rocket striking a highway, nearly
hitting motorists:</p>
<p>No serious Israeli casualties were <a
href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/46-israelis-receive-medical-treatment-since-start-of-gaza-rocket-fire/">reported</a>
on Tuesday.</p>
<p>On Tuesday morning, a missile hit the offices
Palestinian Independent Commission for Human Rights in
Gaza City, lightly injuring one of its staff members.</p>
<p>Amnesty International condemned the attack, <a
href="https://twitter.com/amnesty/status/1194289553038811136">stating</a>
that “strikes targeting civilian buildings [are] a
violation of international law.”</p>
<p>The Israeli daily <em>Haaretz</em> later <a
href="https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/palestinians/.premium-boundless-fear-in-gaza-1.8121625">reported</a>
that the office building in Gaza City was struck by a
rocket fired from Gaza that fell short, rather than an
Israeli missile.</p>
<p>Israel <a
href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-palestinians-blast/israel-kills-islamic-jihad-commander-rockets-rain-from-gaza-idUSKBN1XM08E">claimed</a>
it fired missiles at groups launching rockets into
Israel and Islamic Jihad reportedly confirmed the
death of one of its fighters. The Israeli military <a
href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-says-strikes-targeting-islamic-jihad-underground-facilities-training-camps/">also
said</a> that it targeted underground weapons
manufacturing and storage facilities as well as
training camps belonging to Islamic Jihad.</p>
<p>Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, stated
in a televised address that the assassination of Abu
al-Ata had been approved 10 days ago.</p>
<p>“This terrorist fired hundreds of rockets and planned
more attacks,” Netanyahu <a
href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/pm-islamic-jihad-commander-killed-in-strike-was-ticking-time-bomb/">said</a>.
“He was a ticking time bomb.”</p>
<p>“We are not interested in escalation but will respond
when necessary,” Netanyahu added.</p>
<p>Aviv Kohavi, the Israeli military’s chief of staff, <a
href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-chief-we-are-preparing-for-gaza-escalation-from-ground-air-and-sea/">claimed</a>
that Abu al-Ata “acted in every way to sabotage
attempts for calm with Hamas.”</p>
<p>“We are preparing for escalation from the ground, air
and sea,” Kohavi added.</p>
<p>Commentators in Israel have cast suspicion on the
timing and motives for the assassination of Abu
al-Ata.</p>
<p><a
href="https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-doubts-about-gaza-decision-showcase-netanyahu-as-the-little-boy-who-cried-wolf-1.8121094">Writing
for the Israeli daily <em>Haaretz</em></a>, Chemi
Shalev suggested that Netanyahu aimed to sabotage the
chances that the <a
href="https://electronicintifada.net/tags/joint-list">Joint
List</a>, a parliamentary faction made up
predominantly of Palestinian citizens of Israel, would
<a
href="https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/omar-karmi/palestinian-parties-should-not-strike-devils-bargain">strike
a deal</a> to support a government headed by <a
href="https://electronicintifada.net/tags/benny-gantz">Benny
Gantz</a>.</p>
<p>Gantz, the leader of the Blue and White alliance, is
currently attempting to form a government after
Netanyahu failed to do so in the wake of Israel’s
inconclusive September election. While coalition talks
continue, Netanyahu remains the head of Israel’s
caretaker government.</p>
<p>Gantz <a
href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/gantz-gaza-fighting-will-have-no-impact-on-efforts-to-form-government/">denied</a>
that the developments would affect coalition
negotiations, and <a
href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/gantz-idf-made-the-right-decision-in-hitting-terrorist/">said</a>
that the Israeli military made the “right decision” in
killing Abu al-Ata.</p>
<p>Multiple Hebrew-language outlets reported on Tuesday
that Netanyahu sought Abu al-Ata’s assassination after
rockets fired from Gaza forced him to leave the stage
during a rally a week before elections were held in
September.</p>
<p>“Netanyahu was furious and immediately pressured
senior security officials to approve Abu al-Ata’s
assassination,” <a
href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/pm-sought-abu-al-atas-killing-after-rocket-forced-him-offstage-before-election/">according
to</a> <em>The Times of Israel</em>, but the
operation was postponed.</p>
<p>Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas’ political wing, <a
href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/hamas-chief-says-israeli-crimes-in-gaza-meant-to-block-palestinian-unity/">accused</a>
Israel of attempting to undermine “the path to
restoring our national unity” by assassinating Abu
al-Ata. Last month, Hamas indicated that it was ready
to hold elections, which have not been held since the
resistance group’s surprise legislative victory in
2006.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, <a
href="https://electronicintifada.net/tags/naftali-bennett">Naftali
Bennett</a>, an anti-Arab firebrand, <a
href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/bennett-takes-over-as-defense-minister-amid-gaza-fighting/">formally
assumed</a> the role of Israeli defense minister on
Tuesday. Netanyahu had held the ministry portfolio as
negotiations to form the next Israeli government are
ongoing.</p>
<p>Bennett has previously bragged about his blood-soaked
past. “I have killed lots of Arabs in my life – and
there is no problem with that,” Bennett <a
href="https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/naftali-bennett-and-qana-massacre">told
a cabinet</a> meeting in 2013.</p>
<figure id="file-86131"><source media="(min-width:
72rem)"><figcaption><small><span></span></small></figcaption></figure>
<p>The <a
href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/germany-condemns-gaza-rocket-fire-on-israel-1.8120833">European
Union</a>, <a
href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-palestinians-blast-germany/germany-condemns-gaza-rocket-fire-idUSKBN1XM22G">Germany</a>,
the <a
href="https://twitter.com/USAmbIsrael/status/1194285106069942272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">US</a>
and the <a
href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/uk-condemns-gaza-rocket-fire-calls-on-both-sides-to-rapidly-de-escalate/">UK</a>
all condemned the firing of rockets from Gaza but not
the extrajudicial execution that precipitated it,
tacitly endorsing the Israeli attack.</p>
<p>The Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions
National Committee <a
href="https://twitter.com/BDSmovement/status/1194287473632972801">stated</a>
that “Global civil society must act to hold Israel
accountable where governments have failed.”</p>
<p>Amnesty International <a
href="https://twitter.com/amnesty/status/1194289065736200192">described</a>
the developments across the Gaza-Israel boundary as
“deeply worrying,” adding that “the ensuing escalation
in violence between Israel and Palestinian armed
groups raises fears of a rise in civilian bloodshed.”</p>
<p>The rights group said “Israel has a history of
carrying out serious violations of international
humanitarian law in Gaza, including war crimes, with
impunity and displaying a shocking disregard for
Palestinian lives.”</p>
<p>Israel’s killing of Abu al-Ata on Tuesday echoes the
<a
href="https://electronicintifada.net/content/photos-israel-attacks-gaza/11889">assassination</a>
of Hamas military commander Ahmed al-Jabari in Gaza
seven years ago this month.</p>
<p>By killing al-Jabari, Israel broke a ceasefire with
armed groups in Gaza. It precipitated <a
href="https://electronicintifada.net/content/month-pictures-november-2012/11974">several
days of fierce fighting</a> and a ground invasion
that left 170 Palestinians dead, more than 100 of them
civilians.</p>
<p>Ten members of the al-Dalu family and two of their
neighbors were <a
href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2012/12/07/israel/gaza-israeli-airstrike-home-unlawful#">killed
in a single Israeli strike</a> on a residential
building in Gaza City during that offensive.</p>
<p>Egypt and the UN are reportedly <a
href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/plo-official-ramallah-in-contact-with-egypt-un-to-push-for-calm-in-gaza/">attempting</a>
to calm the current situation and avoid a full-scale
confrontation.</p>
<p><em>This story has been updated since initial
publication to include new developments.</em></p>
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