Israel continues select operations against Palestinian terrorists – but refrains from turning up the heat

In view of escalating terrorist attacks peaking in the Hadera bombing, Mofaz gave the IDF the go-ahead for ongoing air force activity over the Gaza Strip, targeted assassinations, detentions, temporary closures of border crossings and preparation for possible ground operations. Five Israelis were killed in the bombing in the Hadera market, twenty injured victims are still in hospital.
Laid to rest Thursday were Michael Kaufman, 68, Yaacov Rahmani, 68, and Pirhiya Machlouf, 53 – from Hadera, Sabiha Nissim, 66, from Moshav Ahituv, and Jamil Kaadan, 48, from Baqa al-Garbiya.
Heavy damage was caused to stores and surrounding buildings and cars.
Wednesday night and Thursday Oct. 26, Israel warplanes struck Qassam missile sites in N. Gaza and plowed up the road Beit Hanoun. Half a dozen arrests made in the West Bank, including 3 Jihad Islami operatives. The high security alert imposed after the Hadera bombing in view of 44 warnings is still in place.
The bomber, Hassan Abu Zeid from Kabatiya near Jenin, was a member of Jihad Islami. Jihad Islami vows there will be no let-up in terrorist attacks, regardless of Abu Mazen’s orders or any ceasefire accepted by fellow terrorist groups.
Israel continues select operations against Palestinian terrorists – but refrains from turning up the heat
To meet escalating terrorist attacks peaking in the Hadera bombing, Mofaz gave the IDF the go-ahead for ongoing air force activity over the Gaza Strip, targeted assassinations, detentions, temporary closures of border crossings and preparation for possible ground operations. Five Israelis were killed in the bombing in the Hadera market, twenty victims are still in hospital.
Wednesday night and Thursday Oct. 26, Israel warplanes Qassam missile sites in N. Gaza and the road to Beit Hanoun. Half a dozen arrests made in the West Bank, including 3 Jihad Islami operatives. The high security alert imposed after the Hadera bombing in case of further attacks is still in place.
debkafile‘s security sources describe these actions as deliberately low-key. They are aimed less at deterring terror and more at keeping alive the positive impact on world opinion of the evacuation of the Gaza Strip, while trying to show Israelis that the step did not impair national security. Palestinian terrorist hotbeds, especially in Nablus, remain unscathed, while the military brass warns that the terrorists are in the throes of a major effort to transfer the brunt of their operations from Gaza to the West Bank whence they can strike directly at Israeli’s main cities.