By IINA,
Gaza City : Israel has launched air strikes on Hamas installations in Gaza Strip, killing more than 120 people and causing heavy damage, according to officials and witnesses. At least 30 missiles were fired by F-16 bombers at targets today, with the head of emergency services in Gaza saying that at least 200 people were also wounded. Hamas and other Palestinian groups said that they have ordered their fighters to avenge the Israeli attack.
Among those killed in Israel’s latest offensive was Tawfiq Jabber, the Gaza police chief, Al Jazeera reported. Islam Shahwan, a Hamas police spokesman, said that the attacks destroyed most of the police headquarters in the Gaza Strip and that a police graduation ceremony was hit as it was being held in Gaza City. The unprecedented number of simultaneous strikes were described as “massive” by the AFP news agency. Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president and leader of Fatah, condemned the “aggression” in Gaza.
The Israel army released a statement saying “terrorist installations” were hit and that all Israeli pilots returned unharmed. It added that if necessary the operation would continue. “The operation will be pursued and widened as required and subject to (commanders’) assessments,” and aide to Ehut Barak, the Israeli defense minister, said. “We are facing a period that will not be simple or easy.”
The air raids follow the decision by the Israeli security cabinet to increase reprisals for cross-border rocket attacks against Israel, and the breakdown of a six-month-old Israel-Hamas truce earlier this month. Hamas ended the ceasefire saying that Israel had violated the truce the truce by preventing vital food and medical supplies into the Gaza Strip. Ayman Mohyeldin, Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Gaza, said: “A series of explosions were heard over Gaza City. “From where we are there are at least seven different clouds of smoke from the strikes. “We are seeing some casualties being evacuated in cars.”
Mohyeldin said that Hamas, who rule the Gaza Strip, was being held responsible by Israel for any attacks from the territory into Israel, even if they are undertaken by other Palestinian factions. Jacky Rowland, Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Jerusalem, said that Israel’s decision to strike at this moment was down to Hamas withdrawing from the ceasefire and the intensified rocket fire coming from the Gaza Strip in recent days.
“In one day [in the past week] we saw 80 rockets … which is a huge upsurge,” she said.