Israel Targets Palestinian Prime Minister’s Office

Israel launched a major offensive in the Gaza Strip after Palestinian gunmen, some from the armed wing of Hamas, kidnapped 19-year-old Cpl. Gilad Shalit on June 25. Israel also arrested dozens of Palestinian politicians during overnight raids last week.

This is the first ground invasion since Israel pulled out of Gaza nine months ago.

“Wherever there is a proven terror infrastructure, there will be arrests. There will be immunity for no one,” Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said.

Sunday’s air strikes happened around 1:45am. Palestinians said attack helicopters fired two missiles into Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh’s empty offices. One bystander was hurt in the blasts.

“They have targeted a symbol for the Palestinian people,” Haniyeh said.

After Haniyeh and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whose Fatah party was defeated by Hamas in the January election, surveyed the damage, Abbas said “the world must understand that this is a dirty, criminal act.”

A Hamas member was killed in a second attack on an office used by forces loyal to the group, whose charter calls for the destruction of Israel. The group has military and political wings and its leadership contains more moderate members from the West Bank and Gaza and the radical top leaders based in Syria.

Israeli cabinet minister Roni Bar-On said the military will continue its attacks on Palestinian institutions.

“They have to understand that we will not continue to let them run amok,” he said.

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