The number of people killed by airstrikes in Gaza continues to grow. Israel has assassinated a second senior militant from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad organization.
32 Palestinians are said to have perished. Including six children and several PIJ militants. Moreover, its commanders, Khaled Mansour, and Tayseer Jabari.
An Israeli official reported that since Friday, about 600 Palestinian rockets and mortars have been launched at Israel.
“Immediate threat”
Israel claims that the “immediate threat” from PIJ is why the operations were started.
The most recent bloodshed between Israel and Gaza since an 11-day confrontation in May 2021. It resulted in more than 200 Palestinian deaths and a dozen Israeli fatalities is the most recent outburst.
Moreover, the most recent operation, code-named Breaking Dawn, might persist for a week. The Israeli military has warned.
However, Palestinian rockets launched from the Gaza Strip entered Jerusalem on Sunday. It is for the first time since the conflict in 2021
Israel killed PIJ leader Khaled Mansour
Senior PIJ leader Khaled Mansour was murdered by Israel in an airstrike on a home. It was in the Rafah refugee camp in southern Gaza, where attacks took place.
The Israeli military had already attempted to kill the leader five times. After learning that he was allegedly preparing violent attacks from Gaza.
There have been ongoing arrest raids in the occupied West Bank in addition to airstrikes on Gaza. Here, Israel said its targets included a PIJ tunnel network. Israel claims that dozens of PIJ members have been arrests.
Palestinian fatalities were ascribed by Gaza’s health ministry
The health ministry in Gaza attributed the deaths of Palestinians and the more than 200 people who were injured to “Israeli assault.”
Israel said on Saturday that PIJ militants fired a stray missile that killed many children in Jabalia, in the Gaza Strip. Also, claimed that at least part of the deaths were due to an accident. But media was unable to independently confirm this assertion.
The largest terrorist organization in the region is Hamas. It frequently coordinates its operations with Islamic Jihad and has a similar ideology. It does not appear to be launching rockets from its sizable rocket stockpile at this time.
Therefore, there are no reports of Israeli airstrikes directed towards Hamas. It would indicate a rise in the level of hostility.
Israel incarcerates Bassem Saadi
The most recent violence happened shortly after Israel detained Bassem Saadi. It was on Monday night. Saadi is said to be the leader of PIJ in the West Bank.
Continuing arrest operations following a spate of assaults by Israeli Arabs and Palestinians left 17 Israelis and two Ukrainians dead. He was being arrested in the Jenin region. Two of the assailants were from the neighborhood of Jenin.
One of the most powerful militant organizations operating in Gaza is PIJ. It is supported by Iran. The headquarters are in Damascus, the Syrian capital.
Following the execution by Israel of a PIJ leader who Israel said was preparing an impending attack, Israel and PIJ engaged in a five-day confrontation in November 2019. 111 Palestinians lost their lives in the fighting. Also, 63 Israelis required medical attention.
Israel said that 25 of the dead Palestinians were militants. Including those hit as they were getting ready to fire rockets.
