Palestinian resistance groups continue homemade rocket fire despite Israeli air raids

Thursday January 01, 2009 12:29 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC&Agencies

Gaza-based resistance factions continued firing homemade rockets and mortar shells into nearby Israeli towns, despite widespread Israeli air raids on the coastal territory for the sixth consecutive day.

Homemade shells in Gaza

On Thursday morning, the Saraya al-quds brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad, fired at least 19 homemade rockets, according to a press release emailed to media outlets.

The al-Aqsa Martyrs brigades, the militant wing of the Fatah party of Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, fired two missiles on Thursday morning towards the southern Israeli town of Naqqab (Negev).

Also, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine last night fired two shells onto the Israeli Sufa crossing in southern Gaza. The Salah Eldin brigades, an offshoot of the popular resistance committees, fired a mortar shell to the east of Khan Younis city in southern Gaza, according to press releases.

Meanwhile, Palestinian Prime Minister of the ruling Hamas party in Gaza said, in a televised speech aired on the Hamas-run Alaqsa TV on Wednesday, that his party won't succumb to the Israeli warfare, pledging supporters that 'Israel will be defeated in the face of the Palestinian people steadfastness'.

Israeli Army officials say the military's actions on Gaza will continue until homemade rocket and mortar shell fire from Gaza has ceased. Such developments come on the heels of accelerated international efforts to contain a highly volatile situation in the region.

In November of last year, Israel attacked Gaza, killing six Hamas fighters and breaking a six-month-long ceasefire deal with Hamas and other Gaza groups, which Egypt brokered in June19 of 2008.

Last December, Hamas declared an end to the truce, arguing that the Palestinians did not benefit from the deal because Israel attacked the territory and closed border crossings in June of 2007, after Hamas took control of Gaza.

According to medical sources in Gaza, Israeli air strikes on the coastal enclave have so far claimed the lives of approximately 400 residents, including 36 women and almost 10 children, and left about 2000 others injured, including 300 critically.

gaza strip | palestinian attacks | news report rami at imemc dot org