Israel Launches Missiles Into Gaza After Historic Agreement

Fed up with the kidnapping of one of its soldiers by the ruling Hamas party in Gaza, Israel launched an all out offensive on Tuesday night, after warning officials to return the missing fighter or face the consequences.    

Missiles slammed into a main power plant plunging much of the area into darkness.

Palestinian officials claim Israel fired five missiles at the station, knocking out most of the electricity.  

Two of the Jewish state’s soldiers were killed and another was taken hostage earlier this week after Palestinians infiltrated what was supposed to be a secure area using hidden tunnels.    

It comes at a time of direct irony – the day Israel’s avowed enemies agreed the nation had the right to exist.  

Rival factions Hamas and Fatah reached that consensus on Tuesday, committing to a plan that establishes a Palestinian state on the Israeli border, while implicitly recognizing the Jewish nation.

The deal, which came after weeks of acrimonious debate, arrives when tensions are already ratcheted up in the Middle East.

The agreement appeared to hold out at least a modicum of hope that peace can finally be achieved in the region, although it’s not clear what the latest attack will mean. 

“All political groups are prepared for a mutual ceasefire with Israel,” confirmed negotiator Salah Zeidan before darkness – and the missiles – fell.

President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah hopes the deal will end sanctions against the ruling Hamas and help re-open stalled peace talks between the two old enemies.

 But it’s clear there are still minefields, both political and real, to be ironed out. More hard line groups like the Islamic Jihad – responsible for numerous attacks against Israel – insist they won’t be bound by any agreement.

The plan calls for Palestinians to get their own state and for militants to limits attacks to areas captured by Israel in the 1967 War. In the tangled world of the Middle East, that’s a giant step forward.

If Hamas sticks to the principles, it will be a major change. The group was formed with the avowed purpose of destroying Israel, with the now infamous purpose of driving the Jews into the sea.

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