An Israeli airstrike in northern Gaza killed Bahaa Abu el-Atta and his wife. A separate missile attack had hit the home of an Islamic Jihad official in Damascus, killing two people including one of his sons.
At Al-Atta’s funeral in Gaza, mourners fired guns into the air chanting “revenge!” as Islamic Jihad leader Khaled Al-Batsh said: “Israel executed two coordinated attacks, in Syria and in Gaza, in a declaration of war.”
Soon after the attack, Nearly 200 rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel. It had left Forty-seven Israelis wounded, including two hurt by rocket shrapnel. The attack continued with more than 220 rockets being fired towards Israel.
The 220 rockets that were launched from Gaza toward Israel since Tuesday morning, with 90 percent of the projectiles. Sixty percent of the rockets had fallen in open areas. In response to the rocket barrage, dozens of air raids were launched on Gaza. Overall, 15 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli bombardment in Gaza, according to health officials.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that though Israel does not seek an escalation. But they will respond to any attacks. He added that the Islamic Jihad has one choice: “To stop these attacks or to be dealt more and more blows.”
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