1,000 shells fired at Gaza within week

IDF's artillery battery stationed opposite northern Strip fires 25 shells for each Qassam launched; rocket fired at Sderot area Friday evening, Palestinians report three wounded by IDF shell fire

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3237464,00.html

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"The IDF's artillery battery stationed opposite the northern Gaza Strip completed the firing of 1,000 shells at Qassam launching sites in the northern Strip.

The massive fire began last Thursday and continued almost nonstop during the week, as part of the army's comprehensive operation against the Qassam rocket threat.

On Friday, the IDF stationed another artillery battery opposite the southern Strip, not far from Kerem Shalom. After the army completes its operational deployment, it will also start launching shells at Qassam groups' operation areas near and south of the city of Khan Younis."

<snip>

"During the past week, the Israel Air Force launched several strikes over the Gaza Strip, both against access routes and Palestinian Authority facilities. Simultaneously, navy vessels also fired shells at the Strip."

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"The IDF is not setting any "red lines" which would lead to enhancing the operation if they are crossed, but army officials said that the combination of attacking Qassam launchers from the air, sea and land will eventually lead to results. In the meantime, the army fired 25 shells for each Qassam launched at Israel."



1,000 shells in one week? Makin' the desert boom! :thumbsup:

was so they could shell more without hitting Jews.

Now it's a free-fire zone.

<snip>

"Soccer's world governing body, FIFA, said Friday it
is considering possible action over an Israeli air strike last week on a soccer field in the Gaza Strip.

Jerome Champagne, FIFA deputy general secretary in charge of political issues, said it was a direct strike "without any reason" and that the soccer field was not being used by Palestinians as a missile launching pad, as Israel's ambassador to Switzerland had originally claimed.

"We have just asked for explanations," Champagne said in a telephone interview. "FIFA has been fighting for more than a century to make this game universal. To hit a football field is really the wrong signal."

<snip>

"No casualties were reported in the air strike, which reportedly left a large crater in the field. The Israel Defense Forces said there had not been any rocket fire from the soccer field, but that the air strike was part of an effort to deter possible attacks after an increase in rocket launches from Gaza."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/703693.html

Pissing off FIFA's not a wise move...

Violet...

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

welcome to DU and thanks for the bumps of support... theyre much appreciated.

one thing though, and please dont take offense to this, but i personally would prefer you use "israeli" in place of "jews" when referencing... well... israelis.

note: i didnt flag your post. sorry it got deleted. it wasnt that bad.

the palestenains dont differentiate either....and it really doesnt bother us

dont forget theres christian and muslim palestinians too.

Harsh reality: Northern Gaza Strip residents tell Ynet about life in war zone, wedged between IDF, Qassam rocket launching cells. Locals say their existence resembles shooting range; IDF: Terrorists take advantage of civilians

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3238229,00.html

<snip>

"By the weekend, IDF forces fired more than 1,000 shells at the Gaza Strip in a single week in response to ongoing Qassam rocket attacks on Israeli targets.
However, it appears Palestinian residents living in what has become a full-fledged war zone wedged between the IDF and Qassam cells have been forgotten."

<snip>

"As they contend with the presence of Palestinian gunmen and the persistent Israeli shelling, residents told Ynet about a sense of living in a firing range and contending with constant fears.

"Life in recent weeks is unnatural. It's a war movie, a horror movie that keeps on becoming more frightening," 27-year-old Osama al-Bidi says. "Wherever you go, there are homes with shrapnel and holes, homes that have been damaged. Some of the homes are empty because dozens of families left. How will these families return when their homes are in such condition?"

<snip>

"Despite the IDF's insistence it targets "open fields" and Qassam rocket launching sites, Osama describes a different reality.

"Anyone who wishes to should come here and see where the Israelis are shooting. No open areas, everything is close, even very close, to the homes," he says. "Anyone talking about open areas should come and see if the shooting is really directed at open areas. The fire gets really close to people."