The IDF took control of the Dahaniyeh airstrip and the town of Shuka in southern Gaza Wednesday morning in a move to cement their foothold in areas east of Rafah, a city on the Egyptian border. In the course of troop movement toward the Dahaniyeh airstrip, several Palestinian operatives opened fire and launched an anti-tank missile. No one was wounded and no damage was reported. Palestinian media reported that soldiers asked all residents of Shuka to leave. The IDF denied the report, but said that all gunmen and terror operatives in the town had been forced to flee.
Meanwhile, Palestinian residents of the eastern neighborhoods of Rafah began fleeing, reportedly by the thousands, to areas east of the city. Armed men took positions on rooftops and asked remaining residents to leave, Israel Radio reported. Palestinian television reported that the IAF was indiscriminately bombing the city.
The Israeli government emphasized that liability for the operation lies with the Palestinian Authority and its chairman Mahmoud Abbas. All this came as part of a major incursion into the Gaza Strip, launched overnight after exhausting all diplomatic efforts to secure the release of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.
An army source said that the purpose of the operation, dubbed Summer Rains, was to place pressure on the Palestinians to the point that they would decide to release Shalit. "We will stay here as long as necessary until we return with the kidnapped IDF soldier," the source said. The other objective was to try to curb the launching of Kassam rockets at Israel.
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The incursion began shortly before midnight, when IAF aircraft blew up three main bridges, located along the main route connecting between the northern and southern parts of the strip. The objective was to make movement more difficult for Shalit's kidnappers. Ground forces then began entering the southeastern part of the Gaza Strip and troops gained control of two key sites near Dahaniya. At the same time, artillery units shelled Kassam launch sites.
The Air Force also struck an electrical transformer station south of Gaza city, cutting the power supply from portions of the region. Palestinian sources said that the IDF shot at least nine missiles at the electric station. A large fire erupted, burning turbines and fuel supplies. Still, some power was restored through wires connected to an Israeli power supply, Israel Radio reported.
An IDF spokesperson told The Jerusalem Post that there was little Palestinian resistance to the incursion. He denied a report claiming that the Erez crossing had been opened in preparation for entry of troops into the northern Gaza Strip.
I have found it increasingly frustrating watching events unfold. Frankly, I want to launch this offensive myself. If you ever thought back seat drivers were a nuisance, let me assure you that back seat generals are 100 times worse than you can possibly imagine. You have no idea what ranting and ravings my poor daughter, the Last Amazon, has had to put up with in the last few days. The girl is an absolute saint of patience and understanding. I am not sure what the point was in bombing the power plant when it would have been far easier just to cut the power and water to the Gaza Strip as the facilities are supplied by the Israel. If I really had to wait four days to enter, the lack of water and electricity would now be working in my favour.
Oh well, some of us are more ruthless than others, and the IDF is considerably more moral than I could ever be accused of. Speaking of lack of morals, the barbarians of the Popular Resistance Committee claims to hold 18 year old Israeli youth Eliyahu Asheri hostage, are now threatening to butcher the poor boy on television reports the Jerusalem Post:
According to a Palestinian Resistance Committees statement Wednesday morning, the group claimed it was holding, "Eliyahu Pinchas Asheri," the 18-year-old Itamar resident who went missing on Sunday. A spokesman for the group, known only as Abu Abir, told Al-Jazeera satellite TV early Wednesday that Asheri would be "butchered in front of TV cameras" if the IDF operation in Gaza did not stop. "Our patience is running out," said Abu Abir.
"I am announcing for the first time that the kidnapped Zionist Israel is searching for is the same settler who is being held by us. He is aged 18-and-a-half... and is a soldier in a pre-military academy," said Abu Abir, the terrorist group's mouthpiece. The claim was being taken very seriously by security forces because Asheri's middle name, Pinchas, had not been revealed to the public. The PRC also said that no more information about Asheri would be given without a price.
The PRC apparently has launched Operation Horseman’s Rage. The whole rational of the operation, from what I can determine, is to kidnap Israeli civilians for televised execution. I cannot imagine anyone freely choosing to live in a state run by these barbarians.
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