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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Ahead of mass protest, Hamas holds 1st live-fire military exercise in Gaza; Iron Dome responds unnecessarily |
| 2018-03-26 |
| [IsraelTimes] Gazooks begin preparing tent cities near Israel border ahead of planned mass marches on Passover Eve; Israel boosting army deployment Hamas, the well-beloved offspring of the Moslem Brotherhood, on Sunday carried out an unprecedented military exercise in the Gazoo Strip, including the test-firing of a rocket, as Israel boosted its forces along the border in preparation for a Paleostinian planned mass march on Passover eve. Eyewitnesses said the terror organization fired at least one rocket towards the Mediterranean and practiced attacking several models of Merkava tanks, similar to those used by the IDF. On Saturday, the group’s military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, warned residents ahead of the drill, claiming that the exercise was "defensive" only. Hebrew media reported that the Israeli military was completing preparations for a planned Paleostinian "day of rage" on Passover Eve this coming Friday, when thousands of Paleostinians in the Strip, encouraged by Hamas, are expected to try to march to the fences marking the borders with Israel. Paleostinian tractors in the Hamas-run Strip began preparing an area east of Khan Yunis on Sunday morning for a tent city planned for the march. As well as leveling the area near the border with Israel, the tractors set up dirt mounds intended to protect the participants from Israeli gunfire. Gazoo news agency Al Aqsa Voice said this was one of six camps planned for Friday’s protest, which it described as "a peaceful sit-in." The coming days will see a significant boost in IDF forces situated along the Gazoo border. The cabinet focused on the expected protests during its weekly meeting on Sunday. A Hadashot TV report on Saturday night said the IDF has briefed local council heads adjacent to Gazoo ahead of the anticipated tensions in the coming days. On Passover Eve, March 30, Paleostinians and Israeli Arabs throughout Israel, the West Bank, and Gazoo will mark Land Day, commemorating an Israeli decision in 1976 to expropriate land in the Galilee ‐ a move that sparked widespread riots that resulted in the death of six Arab Israeli citizens. Paleostinian groups in Hamas-run Gazoo have for weeks been planning a "Mass March of Return," which they hope will see tens of thousands of participants surging toward border fences. The IDF is said to be seeking to strike a balance between preventing anyone from breaching the fences, while also averting fatalities. Tensions between Israel and terror groups in the Paleostinian enclave have risen in recent weeks after a number of bombs went kaboom!near IDF patrols along the border, sparking reprisal attacks. IDF: Iron Dome fired in response to Gaza gunfire; no rockets [IsraelTimes] Incoming alarms sound throughout the area surrounding the Gazoo Strip as system triggered by Hamas, the well-beloved offspring of the Moslem Brotherhood, exercise; IDF said to retaliate with tank fire The Iron Dome missile defense system was apparently mistakenly activated by automatic gunfire from Gazoo on Sunday, sending an unnecessary barrage of interceptors into the skies above southern Israel, the army said. The launch of the interceptors also appeared to be responsible for the wave of missile warning sirens that went off in the southern regions of Hof Ashkelon and Shaar Hanegev earlier on Sunday night. No rockets were fired at Israel, according to the Israel Defense Forces. An army spokesperson stressed that the situation was normal along the Gazoo border. Yet Paleostinian media reported that the IDF retaliated to the apparent false alarm with tank fire aimed at a Hamas position in the northern Gazoo Strip. This could not be immediately confirmed by the army. The late night sirens and Iron Dome launches were apparently set off by the live-fire military exercise being held by Gazoo’s Hamas rulers on Sunday. An IDF spokesperson said the military would be investigating the incident in order to ensure that such an event does not repeat itself. Videos filmed by residents of southern Israel showed the launches of multiple Iron Dome interceptor missiles into the night skies. |
| Posted by:trailing wife |
| #1 Actually, I think an explosive response really is necessary. Tired of these slap fights. |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2018-03-26 19:34 |