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PrintMarch 20, 2011
While the world watches Libya, Hamas strikes
Hamas fired about 50 rockets into Israel on Saturday, clearly taking advantage of the fact that the world's attention was riveted on Libya.
Los Angeles Times:
The Islamist militant group Hamas said Saturday it had resumed mortar attacks against southern Israel for the first time in more than two years, as tensions escalated between Israel and the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.About 50 mortar shells were fired Saturday morning into Israel's Pitchat Shalom region, damaging a home and wounding two people, military officials said.Israel retaliated by firing tank shells at several targets in Gaza, wounding five people, including three Hamas militants, Palestinian officials said.Hamas' military wing claimed responsibility for firing 33 of the projectiles, marking the first time Hamas has acknowledged firing mortar shells into Israel since January 2009 at the end of the 22-day Israeli offensive in Gaza.Hamas officials said the mortar attacks were in response to recent Israeli airstrikes that killed two members of the group.Although southern Israel is still routinely struck with rockets and mortar shells from Gaza, Hamas has blamed the attacks on rival militant groups operating in the territory.
Not that Hamas is necessarily worried about bad press. They beat up a bunch of reporters who were covering a small demonstration against the oppressive rule of the terrorists. But the attack, coming as it did just as the west was taking on Libya, had to be seen by Hamas as a freebie; nobody cares if mortar shells rain down on Israel civilians when there's so much other news to cover.
