Israeli Army Continues Bombardment of Gaza

In the latest retaliatory attacks between the Israeli army and armed Palestinian militants in Gaza, a Palestinian woman was killed early on Friday, May 6, by shelling from an Israeli tank at her home in Khan Younis in southern Gaza Strip. At the same time, the Israeli Air Force conducted its fourth bombing operation against Gaza on the same day. Since Tuesday evening of this week, on one hand, Israeli ground artillery has targeted Gaza, and on the other hand, Israeli fighter jets have bombed targets in this strip. Israel claims that its airstrikes and artillery fire are in response to nine instances of fire directed at its patrol soldiers in the southern part of Gaza. Since the 50-day war between Israel and Hamas two years ago, which resulted in over 2,200 Palestinian deaths and 166 Israeli deaths, and widespread destruction in parts of Gaza, the last three days have been considered the most serious clashes between the two sides. An Israeli army spokesperson stated on Friday that 'as long as the terrorist activities of Hamas tunnels continue, Israel will hold Hamas responsible for escalating the crisis and will continue to respond.' According to Israeli media, General Moshe Ya'alon, the country's Minister of Security, stated on Thursday night: 'We will strike with an iron fist against the terrorists, primarily against Hamas.' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also held an 'emergency' government meeting on Thursday night to discuss the situation. The security situation between Israel and Gaza escalated on Tuesday, the day Netanyahu visited Gaza, when a mortar was fired at Israeli patrols in the southern part of Gaza, causing no damage. During his visit to the 'security belt' areas in southern Israel near Gaza, Netanyahu inspected a 'Hamas tunnel' that the Israeli army claims to have recently 'discovered.' During that visit, attended by General Moshe Ya'alon and General Gadi Eisenkot, the commander of the Israeli army, Netanyahu warned Hamas against continuing tunnel digging. The Haaretz newspaper reported on Friday, May 6, that the 'Shin Bet,' Israel's internal security agency, arrested a Palestinian who provided 'a lot of information' about Hamas activities, including attempts to dig a new tunnel at the border with Israel. According to this report, the information provided by this Palestinian led to the discovery of a second tunnel. In the war two years ago between the Israeli army and Hamas in Gaza, Israel reported the discovery of dozens of 'tunnels with terrorist objectives' and destroyed some of them. According to Israel, these tunnels were dug to abduct Israelis in surprise Hamas operations and transfer them to Gaza for negotiations with Israel to release Palestinian security prisoners. However, Hamas stated on Thursday in a statement that the tunnel that Israel claims to have discovered is one of the tunnels related to the operations from two years ago.