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在线翻译:
szdaily -> World -> 
Death toll hits 16 in Gaza as tensions rise
    2019-11-14  08:53    Shenzhen Daily

ISRAELI airstrikes killed more Islamic Jihad militants in Gaza yesterday as rocket fire toward Israel resumed after a brief overnight lull, raising the death toll in the strip to 16 Palestinians in the heaviest round of fighting in months.

The Israeli military said more than 250 rockets have been fired at Israeli communities since the violence erupted following an Israeli airstrike that killed a senior Islamic Jihad commander accused of being the mastermind of recent attacks. Israel has stepped up its battle against Iran and its proxies across the region.

The latest fighting brought life in much of Israel to a standstill. Schools remained closed in Israeli communities near the Gaza border and restrictions on public gatherings continued as rockets rained down — albeit in lesser ferocity than during the relentless barrage the previous day.

Those attacks came after the early morning strike Tuesday killed Bahaa Abu el-Atta and his wife as they were sleeping. Rocket fire from Gaza reached as far north as Tel Aviv, and two people were wounded by debris.

In a sign that the current round could be brief, Gaza’s Hamas rulers have yet to enter the fray. Although larger and more powerful than the Iranian-backed Islamic Jihad, Hamas is also more pragmatic. With Gaza’s economy in tatters, it appears to have little desire for another round of fighting with Israel.

Egypt, which frequently mediates between Israel and Gaza militants, has been working to de-escalate tensions, according to officials in Cairo. The Islamic Jihad rejected the efforts, with spokesman Musab al-Berim saying the group’s priority is to “respond to the crime and confront the Israeli aggression.”

Seeking to keep the outburst under control, the Israeli military has restricted its operations to Islamic Jihad, and nearly all the Gaza casualties so far have been members of the militant group.

Israel says it has no interest in further escalation. Still, its new defense minister said Israel would not hesitate to carry out additional targeted killings against those who threaten it.

“This morning, we sent a clear message to all our enemies,” he said in his first comments as defense chief. “Whoever plans to harm us during the day, will never be safe to make it through the night.”

Bennett took office Tuesday amid the outburst of fighting. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appointed him to fortify his hard-line political base as he clings to office after two inconclusive elections.

Bennett has long advocated tougher action against Palestinian militants but wasn’t part of the plans to strike Abu el-Atta.

No Israeli deaths have been caused by the rocket attacks, mostly thanks to Israel’s Iron Dome defense system, which the military said intercepted some 90 percent of the projectiles.

(SD-Agencies)

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