Jerusalem
01 February 2009
Gaza, Ashkelon and Israel |
Israeli police say the projectiles wounded two people in southern Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert warned that Israel will retaliate severely for cross-border attacks that he says deprive Israelis of a normal life.
Palestinian militants fired rockets and mortars at Israel from Gaza, testing a shaky cease-fire. One rocket slammed into a kibbutz collective farm near a kindergarten but failed to explode.
Ehud Olmert |
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said at the end of fighting in Gaza two weeks ago Israel had warned that if Palestinian shooting resumes there would be "disproportionate" retaliation.
"We will not reveal when, where or how we will respond," he said, "but we will respond."
Sporadic Palestinian rocket, mortar and shooting attacks have violated the Gaza cease-fire during the past week and Israel has responded with air strikes.
Palestinians present their identification as they wait to receive food aid at a United Nations distribution center in the Shati refugee camp, in Gaza City, Sunday 01 Feb. 2009 |
Hamas spokesman Ayman Taha said Israel wants a cease-fire for free, but it would have to pay a price: namely, opening border crossings and lifting the crippling blockade on Gaza. Israel says that will not happen until Hamas releases a captive Israeli soldier held in Gaza for two and a half years.
Egypt is trying to hammer out a long-term cease-fire acceptable to both sides.