Israel launches Gaza offensive in response to Hamas rockets
A total of 24 people have died in the Israeli offensive into the Gaza strip
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Saturday, 01, Mar 2008 07:09
Israel has launched limited strikes into the Hamas-controlled Gaza strip in response to increasing rocket attacks over the past week.
The Jewish state's deputy defence minister Matan Vilnai warned Hamas yesterday that the launching of crude missiles into its territory would not be tolerated, adding that the group would be inviting a catastrophe onto itself if it did not halt the attacks.
Today, Israeli soldiers as well as tanks and helicopters followed up on Mr Vilnai's pledge as a limited operation was launched into the Palestinian territories. Local medical officials have confirmed the deaths of 46 Palestinians in the strikes.
The Israeli army announced that two soliders were killed and seven suffered injuries on its side during the operation.
The increased violence comes after persistent rocket attacks from Hamas into Israel claimed a life in the past week. Missiles, which usually cause damage to buildings and injuries to local residents, also began to penetrate areas beyond the Israeli town of Sderot, which is the town that faces the most frequent attacks.
Israel left Gaza in 2005 but Hamas, which refuses to accept the Jewish state's existence, took over control of the territory from rival Palestinian party Fatah last year after clashes between the two groups.