Israeli airstrike hits Gaza City, Saturday, May 4, 2019. Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip fired at least 90 rockets into southern Israel on Saturday, according to the Israeli military, triggering retaliatory airstrikes and tank fire.
IDF says Gaza militants fired 600 rockets at Israel since Saturday. Scroll down for live updates
After a deadly flare-up that saw four Israelis and 23 Palestinians — including at least nine members of militant groups — killed since Saturday morning, officials involved in Egyptian-led ceasefire efforts have said the parties reached an agreement early Monday morning.
Egypt brokered an agreement to cease hostilities from 4:30 am (0130 GMT) local time, an official from the strip’s Islamist rulers Hamas and another from its allied group Islamic Jihad told AFP on condition of anonymity. An Egyptian official also confirmed the deal on condition of anonymity.
Israel did not confirm the agreement but announced the lifting of protective restrictions in place for civilians in southern communities since the fighting began. Schools in the southern cities of Ashdod and Ashkelon have cancelled classes for the day despite the announced return to normal.
Overnight Sunday Israel’s Defense Forces (IDF) continued its strike against Hamas and Islamic Jihad targets in Gaza in response to more than 600 rockets fired at Israel since Saturday morning. Retaliatory Israeli strikes in Gaza were ongoing through Sunday night.
The IDF killed Ahmad Khudri, a high-level Palestinian businessman responsible for the transfer of funds from Iran to “terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip.”
On Sunday night, Hamas and Islamic Jihad threatened to expand range of rocket fire to Tel Aviv, though this was apparently avoided with the last red alert heard in southern border communities around 2:30AM.
AS IT HAPPENED: 450 rockets fired from Gaza into Israel since Saturday
06 May 2019
IDF announces lifting of restrictions on civilians, though schools in Ashdod, Ashkelon, and other southern cities remain closed for Monday
IDF says in a statement it attacked 30 terror targets in Gaza overnight including military complexes, launch stations, observation stations, a war room, a training facility used by marine forces, a number of operational vessels and more.
A ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian factions in Gaza was reportedly reached and went into effect at 4:30 AM on the basis of Israel easing Gaza conditions according to Islamic Jihad
Trump says ‘we support Israel 100 percent in its defense of its citizens,’ tells Gazans to ‘end violence and work towards peace’
Rocket alert sirens sound again in southern Israel
Palestinian Islamic Jihad says it fired a new type of missile on Israel’s Ashkelon and ‘what is coming next is greater.’
Despite talks of ceasefire rocket alert sirens sound again in Gaza-border communities in south, IDF continues airstrikes on Strip
The ultimate Zionists and true living Zionists are those that make aliyah (going up to Israel literally or immigrating).
7000 Lone Soldiers are in Israel those that emigrated without their families to serve in the IDF from around the world.
IDF anticipates a war with Islamic Jihad and Hamas in the very near future. Israel is building a solid wall on the Gaza border to help stop Kornet anti-tank missiles from hitting Israelis on roads nearby. Islamic Jihad also has a new Iranian missile that is accurate and showers shrapnel above a target to have maximum casualties and it has a much large explosive head. This maybe is why the few missiles that got past the Iron Dome inflicted more damage and injuries.
What the battle plans or objective by Israel will be in the next war I am not privy to. Hopefully it will be minimally to destroy Islamic Jihad and Hamas fighting capability.
@ Adam Dallgiesh:
You don’t understand,Copy the url then select ie highlight the title then click on “link” and enter,
@ Ted Belman: Ted, what I typed in wasthe title of the article, not the whole article. I may have created some confusion on this point by using the “embedding” technique. The titles of some Arutz Sheva articles are long. But not long enough to create a problem for your computer, I think.
@ Adam Dalgliesh:
The proper way to do it is to first type in the title of the article. Then copy the url. Then select the title and click on “link”.
I tend to leave it to readers to get their news elsewhere and focus on analysis or opinion.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/262817
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/262795. According to Arutz Sheva,Qatar has pledged $480 million to “the Palestinians.” $300 million of this will go to the PA to pay for its “health and educational programs.” The remaining $180 million will go to unspecified programs sponsored by “the United Nations” and other “humanitarian purposes,” in both Judea-Samaria and Gaza. It sounds like most of this is to be given to Hamas, with some of it routed through UNRWA which is just a front for Hamas, and some of it to go directly to Hamas to pay for the salaries of their “personnel.”
@ Michael S: Very true, all your observations about Israel, Michael. The “drama” of the British parliamentary ‘undead” is appalling, but I’m not sure I would call it riveting. The British parliament have been undead zombies for some time now. Appalling, though, that that antisemitic, ant-Israel creep Corbyn may soon be Prime Minister. P.S.–isn’t the etymology of the name “Corbyn” the Scots word for “crow?”
https://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/234-Israelis-injured-in-latest-round-of-Gaza-border-violence-588920. The Jerusalem Post reports that 234 Israelis were injured, in addition to the four killed, all of them I think civilians, in 48 hours of Hamas rocketing. 690 rockets fired into Israel May4-6.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/262787. Netanyahu has approved a payment of $30 million from Qatar to Hamas. In return, Hamas has promised to scale down violence along the border, restrain Islamic Jihad from attacking, and end blood-bombings. Fat chance these promises will be kept. What’s wrong with Bibi? He’s such a weak sister.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/262754. MK Gideon Saar made a speech in which he said “This cease-fire has done nothing for Israel.” Read the summary of it in Arutz Sheva. I hope Saar, one of Likud’s best peole and popular in the party, realizes his ambition to succeed Bibi.
@ Edgar G.:IDF went all over Gaza destroying ALL offices of Hamas/Islamic Jihad plus the homes of the Hamas Commanders. There was (past tense) in Gaza City an affluent neighborhood were Hamas big shots lived.
@ Bear Klein:
No…I’m sure they have very “comfy” homes complete with all the latest amenities ,,deep underground -prepared years ago and used since. I don’t think any of the REAL leaders sleep above ground at all.. They hate Jews so much that they don”t depend on knock-knockers at all. (“Better be safe than sorry” (blown up).
@ Ted Belman: Okay.
Bibi has NO vision of how to solve the Gaza problem, that is obvious. This is why Lieberman resigned basically as Def. Minister.
Clearly there are no neat and tidy pain free way to do this. Gaza was a manageable problem but sill a problem before Oslo.
Oslo made it worse because it gave terrorists room to operate. This room increased after the disengagement in 2005. Now there are two terror armies in Gaza, Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Islamic Jihad is smaller but it has more missiles than Hamas perhaps and works at the direct command of Iran. Hamas is only influenced by Iran.
There is NO CHOICE but to DESTROY HAMAS & ISLAMIC JIHAD. The IDF must recapture Gaza in the process. It must plan when to do this strategically. Israel will then need to allow Gazans to escape if they are not violent. Polls say about ~60% want to emigrate, Israel should make this easy for them. Have ships off shore chartered to help them escape.
Too minimize Israeli casualties they should destroy Gaza systematically starting from the air. They can use the knock on the roof method and direct people where to flee. Then with artillery, tanks, naval power blow up all the structures above and below the ground. Literally make it uninhabitable. The only fighters spared will need surrender clothes removed and unarmed.
Israel should then populate Gaza with Jews starting with the former Northern Kibbutzim and Gush Katif.
Nothing short of this will solve the Gaza terror problem for Israel.
@ Adam Dalgliesh:
I did no approve a couple of your comments because you just pasted in a whole article.
Instead I want you to just put in the title and link the title. Of course tell why you are doing it.
Next Round latest likely is one to two months from now. As soon as Trump unveils his plan and Ramadan is over.
Also right now Hamas & Islamic Jihad commanders are looking for new homes as theirs were blown up. Islamic Jihad is also going to be promoting a few people as a few of their guys are dead. Also Hamas is looking for a new banker with Iran.
@ Adam Dalgliesh:
Hi, Adam
I checked out the link you posted. One quote from it ought to sum it up:
“Samia said, “Right now, Hamas decides when the round starts and when it finishes.””
— https://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Former-IDF-Commander-says-Israel-has-no-strategy-for-handling-Hamas-588854
Calling a duck a duck, that means that Israel is, in fact, tributary to the Jihadis. I guess Netanyahu and his supporters consider it a “victory”, when they get away without having Israelis kidnapped, so they don’t have to release 1000 terrorists for one dead body. Maybe this is Jewish logic. To me, though, it’s obvious that the Pals won and will continue to win — this, in spite of the US president and people offering to back Israel 100%.
This is all so “same-o, same-o”, that I’m much more interested in following the un-moving non-drama of Britain’s zombie PM and the equally un-dead House of Commons.
Ta ta for now.
Sensible proposals for dealing with Hamas, and the Israeli government’s overly timid response to Hamas aggression, from MK and likely future minister Smotrich:
For an explanation as to why Israel’s response to Hamas is stupid, and what approach is needed to eliminate the Hamas problem, see this brilliant analysis in the 5/5/19 Jerusalem Post by retired General Yom-Tov Samia. https://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Former-IDF-Commander-says-Israel-has-no-strategy-for-handling-Hamas-588854. Samia has long been a voice for sanity and reason in strategic matters. He explains why you must defeat your enemy in a war, not just do tit-for-tat, pin-pointed, “proportionate” retaliation each time the enemy attacks.
Appalling that Israel has agreed to another cease-fire. UNless Israel changes its approach to fighting its enemies, it is doomed.
Another HAMAS/ Jihad victory. They are now reloading for round 2.
You can’t make this stuff up!