The daily bombardment of Israel continues.
A 59-year-old Israeli woman was lightly-to-moderately wounded in the Yad Mordechai area on Thursday afternoon as Palestinian terror groups launched a barrage of mortar shells and Qassam rockets against Israeli communities near the Gaza border.
At least 10 mortars and eight Qassams landed in Israel, primarily in the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council. No further injuries have been reported, though a number of fired have broken out as a result. A member of Kibbutz Nahal Oz told Ynet that residents have currently been instructed to remain in bomb shelters and fortified rooms.
Hamas blames their own work accident for the bombardment. In Bizarro Arab World, when Hamas bombmakers blow up themselves and their families and neighbors, Hamas must “retaliate” by blowing up Israelis.
Hamas threatened it would respond to the explosion that occurred in Beit Lahiya earlier in the day, in which three people were killed and over 40 were wounded. However Israel continues to maintain its forces did not launch the alleged airstrike and military officials estimated the explosion was likely the result of a Palestinian ‘work accident.’
As usual, the work accident is being blamed on Israel.
The incident occurred in the home of Ahmed Hamouda, a member of the Izz al-Din al Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas. Witnesses reported the explosion was caused by an Israeli airstrike, though the IDF made clear no forces had launched an attack in the area.
And of course, the AP spin is completely anti-Israel. Look at the lead to this story, where the AP describes the Gaza explosion and the resulting barrage of rockets and mortars as “spiraling violence.” Hamas is responsible for both, and yet this is “spiraling violence” that will prevent the “truce.”
A blast flattened the house of a militant commander in the Gaza Strip Thursday, killing four people, wounding 40 and burying an unknown number of others, Palestinian officials said.
Israel, which routinely accepts responsibility for attacks on military targets, denied involvement. But Hamas said the blast was caused by an Israeli airstrike and responded with a heavy barrage of rockets and mortar shells into southern Israel, wounding an Israeli woman.
The spiraling violence threatened to undermine last-ditch efforts to secure a truce between Israel and Hamas and stave off an Israeli invasion of Gaza.
Israel’s denial raised the possibility that the blast was caused by explosives meant for use against Israel that went off prematurely.
Note the words in bold, and see the subtle bias. Israel’s denial raises the possibility that it was a work accident, thus leading the reader to believe that Israel is lying. And what’s with the “went off prematurely” bit? It was a weapons lab. The terrorists making bombs effed up.
And then there’s the headline:
Blast flattens house of Hamas commander, killing 4
It’s a mystery blast. I suppose we should be grateful the AP doesn’t blame Israel in the headline, instead of waiting until the second graf in the lead.
Just another day in Israel news.