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Israel's air force fired around 20 missiles at targets in Gaza City on Saturday, causing heavy damage, a Reuters witness said. The IDF has confirmed the report. (Hanan Greenberg and Reuters)

(YNET NEWS.com) January 16, 2009 "THE GUARDIANS OF ISRAEL NEITHER SLUMBER NOR SLEEP" SNIPPET: "Israel and the US succeeded in preventing a United Nations announcement condemning the Jewish state for its strike on a UN compound in Gaza Thursday. The condemnation was proposed by Britain among other countries." SNIPPET: "Prime Minister Ehud Olmert apologized for the incident before UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, but stressed that IDF forces were attacked from the building before it was hit."

JANUARY 15, 2009...22:58 "IDF Targets Senior Hamas Leader, Summary of Today’s Events, 15 Jan 2009, 22:10 IST" SNIPPET: "January 15th, 2009 IDF Targets Senior Hamas Leader Said Siam Summary of Today’s Aerial Attacks In a joint IDF and ISA operation in Gaza City early Thursday evening, the IAF targeted a building in which the following senior Hamas operatives were residing – Said Siam, Ia’ad Siam and Salah Abu-Sharah. The forces reported a direct hit."

Note: Photo included. SNIPPET: "Mexico condemns the excessive use of force associated with the Israeli army operation in Gaza, " a statement from the Mexican Foreign Ministry said late Tuesday. It also condemned "the continued launching of mortars into Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip". Latin American countries have largely condemned Israel over its launch of 'Operation Cast Lead' on Gaza on December 27. Immediately after Israeli warplanes attacked the strip, Cuba called the offensive an "act of genocide" and a "criminal military operation, the bloodiest one executed by Israel against the Palestinian people." Three day later, the Bolivian Foreign...

SNIPPET: "A North Texas imam is calling on Muslims to take up arms in defense of Palestinians in Gaza. Sheikh Mohamed El-Moctar El-Shinqiti, director of the Islamic Center of South Plains in Lubbock, Texas, participated in an online chat, "Fatwas on Gaza," at the web site IslamOnline.net. El-Shinqiti encouraged readers to fight - or if they can't, to send money to those who are fighting - in response to six out of the eight questions posed to him in the online chat. When asked what can be done to help the people in Gaza, El-Shinqiti emphasized war over sending food...

"HAMAS MISSILES FOR ISRAELI FOOD" (Added January 12, 2009) VIDEO DESCRIPTION - QUOTE: IsraelMFA January 12, 2009 Israel gives food, medicine and electricity to Gaza citizens and gets rockets in return. Category: News & Politics Tags: Israel Hamas war rockets missile humanitarian aid children shield Gaza

"HAMAS AND THEIR SYSTEMATIC VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAWS (NOT TO MENTION BASIC HUMAN DECENCY)" "Video follows"

"IT'S NOT SO MUCH THAT THE HAMAS OFFICER WAS KILLED... ...it's that he was killed operating a mortar that his subordinates were not firing, because they refused to come out of hiding."

SNIPPET: "The fundamental truth is that Hamas' road to Iran runs through the international Muslim Brotherhood, and has for two decades. What is often missing in the discussion of the Muslim Brotherhood is that Hamas, according to its own founding charter, is an integral and armed part of the Ikwhan, not separate from it."

Note: The following text is a quote: http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/About+the+Ministry/Behind+the+Headlines/Ttragedy_school_Jebaliya_6-Jan-2009.htm Behind the Headlines: The tragedy at the school in Jebaliya 6 Jan 2009 An initial inquiry by forces on operating in the area of the incident indicates that a number of mortar shells were fired at IDF forces from within the Jebaliya school. In response to the incoming enemy fire, the forces returned mortar fire to the source. Preliminary Background Briefing Today, a reported 30 Palestinians were killed in a heartrending tragedy at a school in Jebaliya. Initial investigations indicate that Hamas terrorists fired mortar bombs from the area of the school...

(IsraelNN.com) Head of Military Intelligence General Amos Yadlin warned Monday that Hizbullah may open up another front in the ongoing war. Yadlin warned that Hizbullah may fire Katushya rockets at Israeli cities in the coming days.

Cheney stressed the US support for the Gaza operation, saying the rocket fire on Israel must stop.

Home Front Command reiterates that residents should immediately take cover if they hear the siren sound, or if they hear an explosion.

"OPERATION CAST LEAD The IDF's Fight Against Terror in Gaza" (December 28, 2008) # http://israel.internet-haganah.com/archives/001473.html December 28, 2008 "IAF STRIKES ON WEAPONS CACHES & STORAGE FACILITIES" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmSAp4Qt068 "IAF STRIKES ON GAZA-WEAPON CACHES" (Added December 28, 2008) # http://israel.internet-haganah.com/archives/001472.html December 28, 2008 "HAMAS REFUSES TO ALLOW WOUNDED TO ENTER EGYPT FOR CARE" # http://israel.internet-haganah.com/archives/001471.html December 28, 2008 "KOL ISRAEL" # http://israel.internet-haganah.com/archives/001470.html December 28, 2008 "AND THEN THERE IS THE ARAB LEAGUE" # http://israel.internet-haganah.com/archives/001469.html December 28, 2008 "YES, IT IS BETTER THIS TIME AROUND" # http://israel.internet-haganah.com/archives/001468.html December 28, 2008 "ONE WORD..." # http://israel.internet-haganah.com/archives/001467.html December 28, 2008 "EGYPTIAN FOREIGN MINISTER LAYS BLAME FOR...

SNIPPET: "Rocket range extended: Palestinian gunmen respond to IDF operation in Gaza by firing three rockets beyond Ashkelon area, some 40 km away from Strip. Building in moshav near Ashdod; air raid siren sounds in Yavne area" ARTICLE SNIPPET: "After a day which saw dozens of Qassam rockets fired at Israel, Palestinian gunmen resumed the fire on Sunday morning. Three rockets, believed to be Grad missiles, were fired from the Gaza Strip and landed east of the city of Ashdod. One of the rockets caused damage to the windows of a house in a moshav near Ashdod. Explosions were also...

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3644086,00.html After day which saw some 60 rockets, mortar shells land in Gaza vicinity communities, rocket causes light damage to kibbutz fence Thursday morning. Foreign Minister Livni meets with Egyptian President Mubarak in Cairo, in bid to prevent escalation

Residents of Negev communities awoken by renewed rocket fire this morning as Palestinian groups launch four Qassams from northern Gaza towards Israel. No injuries or damage reported. Gaza sources report several casualties in IDF strike short time later Residents of Israel’s Gaza-vicinity communities awoke to the sound of rockets landing near their homes on Saturday morning. In all four Qassam rockets were fired by Palestinian groups towards the western Negev: Two of the rockets landed in open areas in the Eshkol Regional Council, one landed in the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council and the fourth landed just north of Gaza. There...

Israeli President Shimon Peres met with Austrian Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer on Monday and discussed with him the effects of the continued Qassam attacks on Sderot saying, "The situation is intolerable and there is one address – Hamas. I ask myself today, why did Israel leave Gaza?" Peres criticized Hamas' motives for the attacks, saying, "Why do they fire and what are their goals? There is only one answer. Hamas is a religious-fanatic organization that does not want a state for its people. It wants to destroy Israel."

Four Kassam rockets were fired into Israel and Arabs rioted in Jerusalem - in protest of Antiquities Authority works at the Western Wall Plaza entrance to the Temple Mount. Restrictions were placed on Moslem worshipers allowed to the Temple Mount, and the police were out in force Tuesday morning at the excavation works site, in anticipation of a fierce Arab reaction to the work. Though less violent than expected, rock-throwers rioted in eastern and northern Jerusalem; 11 Arabs were arrested. In addition, terrorist groups fired four Kassam rockets, in two waves, claiming to retaliate for the excavation work. In...

Prime Minister Olmert's restraint continues in the face of Kassam rockets slamming into Israel. He and Palestinian Authority chairman Abbas are talking about meeting. Two rockets slammed into Sderot Thursday, one of them striking a community center and another hitting an empty bus. Three people were injured by shrapnel or otherwise, and heavy damage was sustained. Another rocket frighteningly awakened city residents early Friday morning. A separate attack on Thursday hit the port city of Ashkelon. The city is home to strategic oil and gas pipelines and a large electric power plant. Some 45 Kassam rockets have been launched...

After a day of near quiet, a wave of five Kassam rockets was launched at Israel from northern Gaza Thursday morning. An Arutz Sheva TV was on the scene - live. Sderot Mayor Eli Moyal called on the government to resign in light of its failure to protect the city's residents. Visiting MK Aryeh Eldad (National Union) decried the fact that while Sderot residents are suffering the consequences of the last withdrawal, "Olmert is abroad, declaring that the next withdrawal is a fait accompli." An Arutz Sheva English TV crew was in Sderot filming a live shoot of the hunger...

Kassams in Sderot: Classroom Hit With Students Waiting Outside 10:22 May 21, '06 / 23 Iyar 5766 by Hillel Fendel 2-3 Gaza-fired rockets hit the Negev city of Sderot this morning. One hit an empty classroom while the students were praying in a different room, and another caused two women to go into shock. The first rocket was fired by Palestinian terrorists from northern Gaza shortly after 7:30 AM, landing at the Gevim Junction just south of Sderot. Two women were treated at the site for shock. Shortly afterwards, the Red Dawn early-warning alarm system sounded, giving the residents some...

Six human rights organizations appealed the High Court on Sunday to cancel a regulation which allows Israel Defense Forces artillery to fire shells at targets up to 100 meters away from Palestinian houses. Last week Defense Minister Shual Mofaz reduced the safety range down from 300 meters in an effort to put a stop to Qassam rocket fire from the Gaza Strip into Israel. Attorney Michael Sfard claimed on behalf of the human rights organizations that Mofaz's decision deliberately endangers Palestinian lives because the shells are known to land within a 100-meter spread from their targets. IDF officers admitted that...

In the wake of Israel's escalated response, Palestinians living in the northern Gaza Strip have appealed to the new Palestinian Authority government to take immediate action to prevent gunmen from firing Kassam rockets from their neighborhoods at Israel, a senior Hamas official said Tuesday. He said the appeal was made in an urgent letter sent to PA Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh by scores of Palestinians living in Beit Lahiya, Beit Hanoun and other areas that have been targeted by Israeli artillery over the past few weeks. "They are demanding that we issue instructions to the security forces to prevent...

War on Qassams not kosher Some methods of dealing with rocket attacks simply not kosher Springtime in Israel. Green, flowering fields fill the eye. The sunshine paints the view brilliantly, before the summer heat dries it all up. If you listen carefully, you can hear the sounds of spring: Birds chirping, the buzz of mosquitoes, and the incessant sound of IDF artillery, turning the lives of innocent Gazans into a living hell. Springtime's here, alright. The IDF's firing a lot, alright, thousands of shells into "open fields" from where the Qassam Rockets are being fired. Of course, the term "open...

Following ten Kassam rockets since Wednesday, the IDF barraged the Gaza Strip with shells and leaflets warning Gaza residents to stay away from Kassam launchers. Palestinian terrorists in Gaza fired two Kassams at the Negev last night (Thursday), following eight other rockets in the previous 24 hours. One Kassam hit the city of Sderot, causing no damage. Rocket fire from Gaza towards Israel has continually increased ever since Israel withdrew from Gaza last summer. The IDF reports that 430 Kassams have been fired since last summer, including 85 in March and 50 so far this month. Other reports have cited...

Halutz admits no-go zone has yet to prevent rocket attacks Seven Kassams fired early Tuesday in response to targeted killing; 16 fugitives arrested overnight in W. Bank. Jan. 2, 2006 22:08 | Updated Jan. 3, 2006 15:42 Seven Kassams fired at western Negev By MARGOT DUDKEVITCH AND AP Palestinians gather around the wreckage of a car after it was hit by an IAF missile in the northern Gaza Strip on Monday. Photo: APEarly Tuesday, Palestinians fired seven Kassam rockets at the western Negev in response to the Monday night attack by the IAF in which three Palestinians affiliated with the...

Palestinian terrorists have been attacking the Israeli Negev town of Sderot and civilian settlements in Gaza with a barrage of Kassam missiles and mortars, a military source told The Jerusalem Post. "Since 10 p.m. last night (Thursday) Palestinians have been launching a steady hail of Kassam missiles and mortar shells aimed at Sderot and Jewish communities in Gaza," the source said. "The Negev town of Sderot has suffered extensive damage to homes with 28 mortars and at least 6 Kassam missiles. These are not small rocks that Palestinian children are throwing. These are missiles with explosive warheads whose only purpose...

Yet again, warnings are being sounded against a "peace now" policy - warnings that have come true more than once in the recent past. "The threat of Kassam rockets on Yesha communities and on central Israel will be a genuine threat." So said an IDF Intelligence Branch officer appearing before the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee today. He said that Kassam rockets are being manufactured in large numbers in the Shechem area, with the help of Hizbullah elements. Committee Member MK Yechiel Chazan (Likud) said that there's no point in releasing terrorists while the terrorism continues. "We're giving everything,...

Mortar umbrellas for sale? Is there really such a thing? No. But the concept has become a reality. Simply because, in Gush Katif, it is raining mortars. Many of us, whose lifestyles have never equipped us to be familiar with explosive devices, don’t even know what mortars and Kassams are. Let me introduce you. They are projectiles only a few feet long, but very dangerous. They whiz to their destination, sometimes crashing through rooftops, and explode when they land; the Kassam being more powerful than the mortar. They are common in areas where there is a ‘security’ fence. These little...