IDF airstrike kills top terrorist in north Gaza

By C. J. Refsland on May 1, 2013 • ( 0 )

IDF kills terrorist in Gaza for the first time since Operation Pillar of Defense: Israeli aircraft killed a senior terrorist in north Gaza at approximately 10 am Tuesday. According to Israeli security officials, the terrorist, a Salafi who belongs to Global Jihad, orchestrated the recent rocket attack on Eilat, Israel’s southernmost city.

The Palestinians reported that the terrorist was riding his motorbike near a Hamas training camp when he was targeted by an Israeli aircraft. Another man, apparently the terrorist’s aide, was injured in the strike.

Hamas’ Health Ministry identified the terrorist as Haytham Almishal, 24, a resident of the Shati refugee camp who worked in security at the Shifa Hospital in Gaza. Channel 10 said Mashal was a rocket-manufacuring expert.

Scene of airstrike that killed Gaza terrorist (Photo: AFP)

Tuesday’s attack was the first deadly airstrike carried out by Israel since a ceasefire ended Operation Pillar of Defense in November.

Shortly after the strike in Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “Today we hit one of the people involved in the wicked rocket fire on Eilat. I said that we would not let this pass quietly. We do not accept the firing from the Gaza Strip or from the Sinai Peninsula. We will work to protect Israel’s citizens.”

Terrorists launch Grad rocket at Eilat

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum called the targeted killing “dangerous and unjustified,” adding that it was meant to create a tense atmosphere in the Strip.

Israel is trying to “divert attention from the Judaization and the settlement enterprise in Jerusalem,” he said, adding that the strike was a violation of the Egyptian-mediated agreement which ended the war in November.

The Israeli military confirmed it had carried out the attack, which came just two days after Netanyahu had warned of a strong military response to sporadic rocket fire onto Israel.