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Middle East and North Africa

Gaza Strip militants shoot 15 missiles on Israel

This is the first massive attack from the Strip’s territory since the Palestinian national unity government was formed

Iron Dome anti missile batteries in Israel EPA/OLIVER WEIKEN

Iron Dome anti missile batteries in Israel

© EPA/OLIVER WEIKEN

TEL AVIV, June 30. /ITAR-TASS/. Militants from the Gaza Strip have launched 15 missiles aimed at Israel.

Israel’s The Jerusalem Post newspaper reports that the missiles exploded in the Eshkol neighborhood in the country’s south. It adds that there were no victims or casualties.

Observers note that this is the first massive attack on Israel from the Strip’s territory since the Palestinian national unity government with the participation of Hamas movement was formed.

On Sunday, one Palestinian was killed and three were wounded as a result of an attack of Israeli Air Force on the Gaza Strip. According to preliminary reports, the killed was an activist of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas that controls the Palestinian enclave.

According to reports from an Israeli military representative, the strike was aimed at ‘terrorists’ that were preparing missile launches.

{article_photo:737696:'PM Medvedev and Palestinian leader discuss Middle East situation':'right':'50'}Deterioration of relations

For more than two weeks, the Israeli army is carrying out a massive raid, searching for the teenagers kidnapped in the West Bank. The incident has significantly deteriorated the relations between Israel and Palestine. The Palestinian ambassador to Russia stated that Israel actually declared war on National Palestinian Autonomous Territories.

During the operation, over 400 Palestinian have been arrested, with three quarters of them being activists of the Hamas movement and at least ten Palestinian lawmakers. The soldiers have searched 2,800 buildings, including offices of TV broadcasters and newspapers. In addition, 57 Palestinians set free from Israeli prisons in 2011 in exchange for abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, were detained.

Three students of a religious school in Kfar Etzion locality went missing June 12 after they got a ride near Hebron on their way home. Two of them are 16 years old, and another one is 19.

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Middle East and North Africa Palestine Israel

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