Israel retaliates after deadly attacks
Posted August 18, 2011 2:19 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
At least seven people are dead and dozens more are wounded after a series of midday attacks in Israel.
Squads of gunmen armed with heavy weapons and explosives staged three hours of attacks on Thursday. Israel returned fire, Deputy Defence Minister Matan Vilnai confirmed.
Six more people were killed in Palestine, including a child, in Israel’s counterattack.
The bombings, the deadliest in the country in nearly three years, happened near the Egypt-Syria border. Israel said the attackers came form the Hamas-ruled Gaza strip, but Hamas denied involvement.
As evening began, Vilnai said, gunfire continued from both sides of the Israel-Egypt border.
Canada’s Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) also blamed Hamas for the bombings.
“Reports indicate that the terrorists involved in Thursday’s attacks originated from Gaza and infiltrated Israel via the Sinai,” chairman David Koschitzky said in a statement.
“Whether they are directly affiliated with Hamas or associated with another jihadist group, Hamas, which seized de facto control of Gaza in a violent coup against the Palestinian Authority in 2007, bears responsibility for any attacks stemming from their territory.”
With files from The Canadian Press and The Associated Press
