JERUSALEM – As the Hamas terrorist organization negotiates a possible truce with Israel, terrorists from Palestinian Authority President Maumoud Abbas' Fatah party today launched a series of rocket attacks that hit Jewish population centers near the Gaza Strip.
At least seven Qassam rockets and nine mortar shells were fired from Gaza-based terrorists today, landing in the Israeli cities of Sderot and Ashkelon.
Of the rockets that slammed into Sderot – a city of about 25,000 people nearly three miles from the Gaza border – one scored a direct hit on a house and another landed near an elementary school. Damage and injuries were still being assessed.
At least two rockets were fired at Ashkelon, a city of 120,000 residents about 12 miles from Gaza that is home to Israel's main electric supply station and critical gas and oil pipelines.
Hamas claimed responsibility for two of the rockets, while the rest were launched by Fatah's Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in conjunction with the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization, according to Brigades sources speaking to WND.
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The Brigades, listed by the U.S. State Department as a terror group, took responsibility along with the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization for every suicide bombing in Israel since 2005 and for hundreds of shootings and rocket attacks against Jewish civilian population centers.
Fatah's Brigades the past few days has carried out more attacks than Hamas both from the Gaza Strip and from the West Bank. The Brigades launched rockets and mortars, engaged in clashes with Israel Defense Force troops near the Gaza town of Khan Yunis and carried out a shooting attack against Jewish motorists in the northern West Bank.
In a statement to WND, the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades said they would not be party to any cease-fire with Israel
"We refuse any cease-fire with the Zionist occupation. It is our right to keep fighting and implementing resistance against the enemy" said Abu Ahmed, leader of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in the northern West Bank.
Hamas reportedly has been talking with Egyptian mediators about a truce agreement with Israel. Still, Hamas has perpetuated scores of attacks, including a massive Israeli border raid and bombing last week that was described by Israeli officials as the most sophisticated Hamas operation since Israel evacuated the Gaza Strip in 2005.
Israeli security officials say Hamas' interest in a cease-fire largely stems from fear the Jewish state will launch a large-scale ground operation in the Gaza Strip following next month's visit to the region by President Bush to take part in Israel's 60th anniversary celebrations. Until Bush's visit, Israel is loathe to start a major flare-up in Gaza.
The Israeli security officials told WND Fatah has made a strategic decision to continue terror attacks in an attempt to scuttle the possibility of a cease-fire for fear of the political consequences of a Hamas-brokered truce.
"If Hamas is the one to broker a cease-fire, and it takes effect in the West Bank as well as in Gaza, this would demonstrate Hamas are the deal makers and major players in the West Bank, which is supposed to be controlled by Fatah," said a security official. "Fatah doesn't want that, so they are attacking Israel."
Some of today's rocket attacks from Gaza came after seven Palestinians reportedly were killed during an IDF anti-rocket operation in the northern Gaza Strip. Media accounts stated Israel shelled a house, killing Palestinian civilians, including four young siblings and their mother.
But the IDF denied the media accounts, which quoted Gaza-based medics and Hamas officials. An IDF source told Israel's Army Radio the explosion at the house was caused after Hamas terrorists carrying an ammunitions bag were hit by IDF fire.
Following the strike, Defense Minister Ehud Barak placed blame for the incident on the ruling Hamas faction.
"We see Hamas as responsible for everything that happens there, for all injuries. ... The army is acting, and will continue to act, against Hamas, including inside the Gaza Strip. Hamas is also responsible, by way of its activity within the civilian population, for part of the casualties among uninvolved civilians," Barak said.
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