Air Strikes and Rocket Fire Continues Between Israel and Gaza

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Facts

  • Following the killing of high-level Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) commanders, militants in the Gaza Strip fired barrages of rockets toward Israel on Wednesday, Thursday, and continuing into Friday morning, reaching as far north as Tel Aviv. Israel responded with more airstrikes against what it described as rocket-launching squads and sites operated by PIJ in the besieged strip.1
  • Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip early on Tuesday killed three PIJ commanders and 10 civilians, including at least four children and five women, for which PIJ vowed to retaliate.2
  • On Friday, a sixth member of PIJ was reportedly killed in strikes that Israel has said are part of an operation to deplete PIJ's operatives and infrastructure. Meanwhile, PIJ has reportedly launched 1K rockets into Israel in the last three days.3
  • The death toll has been reported as at least 33 Palestinians being killed, including several women and children, while one Israeli has been killed. Negotiations in Egypt to end this round of fighting have yet to make serious progress.3
  • Israel called its recent campaign a "defensive and offensive operation," saying that fighting could last for a few days, depending on PIJ's response. Since pulling out of Gaza in 2005, Israel has fought two major ground wars in the strip — two air wars lasting at least a week and dozens of other limited skirmishes.4
  • The situation in Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank has steadily deteriorated in the last year, with at least 105 Palestinians killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank and at least 20 Israelis killed by Palestinian attacks so far in 2023. The most recent conflict with PIJ last summer saw the group lose two top commanders and dozens of fighters.5

Sources: 1The Times of Israel (a), 2Reuters (a), 3Reuters (b), 4The Times of Israel (b), and 5Associated Press.

Narratives

  • Pro-Israel narrative, as provided by Jerusalem Post. Unfortunately, Palestinian terrorists have sparked another Gaza war. Israel, which has always restrained itself to avoid unnecessary death, will respond aggressively if Palestinian Islamic Jihad attacks Israeli civilians and cities. Those killed in the recent strikes were high-ranking PIJ terrorists, and their elimination was necessary to ensure Israeli security.
  • Pro-Palestine narrative, as provided by Middle East Eye. Yet again, Israel has sparked another ruthless war on Gaza as it seeks to engage in conflict by recklessly murdering Palestinians. Israel not only killed PIJ commanders but their families as well, not to mention an innocent doctor and his family. Emboldened by international silence after killing more Palestinians last year than in any other calendar year since the Second Intifada, the occupation is becoming even more violent.

Predictions