Hamas declares war after Israeli Air Force strikes its bases

[Israel Insider]

The Hamas terror regime declared "open war" on Israel after more than 200 Palestinians were reported killed in some 150 IAF airstrikes on 100 targets in the Gaza Strip, including virtually all Hamas military bases and police stations. Hundreds were reported injured. Veteran Mideast analyst Ehud Yaari called it the greatest single blow by Israel against the Palestinians since the 1948 War of Independence

The strikes, which started all 11am on the Jewish Sabbath, followed weeks of incessant rocket and mortar attacks by Palestinians in Gaza on Israel, and equally incessant warnings that the war of attrition would not be allowed to continiue.

Israeli security sources reported highly accurate hits. According to Sky News, the Hamas Interior Ministry reported that every one of its security compounds has been destroyed.



There are as yet unconfirmed reports that Hamas commander in chief Ahmed Jabbar has been killed, although subsequent reports indicated that the deaths were in fact members of his family and not him.

Riots have begun among Arabs living in Israel, in Judea and Samaria ("the West Bank") and in Arab countries.

Palestinian terrorists fired some 20 rockets at civilian targets in Israel, with a direct hit on a home in Netivot killing an Israeli man and injuring 7, one seriously. One rocket struck just outside Kiryat Gat, some 20 kilometers from Gaza, the first time in the eight years since Hamas has been firing rockets into Israel that a rocket has struck that southern Israeli city. For the first time, sirens were heard in the southern Israeli port city of Ashdod, although no hits have yet been reported. A "special situation" has been declared in Israeli communities bordering Gaza, giving the military extraordinary powers. There has been a limited call-up of reserve soldiers. No numbers have been cited.

The wave of Israeli strikes has ended, and the Israeli military command is reportedly evaluating the results of this first step in the operation.

Photo:Flash90

[aaron]

Yoel, you are incapable of reading what I wrote and commenting on it. Let's put it this way. Let's say the first rocket from Gaza landed on Sderot on Shabbat. I would be for every soldier available to wipe Gaza off the map that very day. My dismay is when these attacks have been going on intensively for two years and really for seven years that the Jewish Army willy nilly decides to strike on Shabbat as if Shabbat is just like any other day. Please comment on this. And as for your Chabad Rabbi, I am a Jew so he just dished out some sinat chinam, that's very unchabad of him.

[Yoel]

aaron, from Rabbi Lazer Danzinger for Chabad
what whats this is for you remember jesis broke the Sabbath laws so do not question Jews about Judaism
Hi Yoel

With the exception of three prohibitions, the Torah says we must violate its precepts in order to preserve our lives. Scripture saya, "shall observe My statutes and My ordinances, which a man shall do *and live by them.* I am the L-rd (Lev. 18:5)." The phrase, "and live by them" means that their observance should be suspended when there is danger to our lives.


This means that the Sabbath, too, may be transgressed, when our lives our endangered. This idea is hinted at also in the verse, "they walked not in My statutes, and they despised My ordinances, which, if a man keep, *he will live through them,* and My Sabbaths they desecrated exceedingly. (Ez. 20:13)" The verse implies that observance of the Sabbath should not be a contradiction to one's safety.

[catlover]

As a Christian, I am solidly behind Israel and whatever they need to do to protect themselves. Israel is the apple of God's eye and will always be.

[JRip]

I am not Jewish but have always been perplexed about Israel continually giving back land to it's aggressors. Peace has never occurred but the government of Israel continues to give back land for "peace". Today, modern weapon technology is growing all around Israel making it more vulnerable to it's enemies yet Israel's territory continues to shrink making Israel's self defense extremely difficult. I would be more inclined to take the territory back when attacked and not use the "peace for land" approach until peace has been demonstrated over a long period of time. Fifty years or more might be a good starting time line for giving back occupied lands. It is obvious that generations of people need to be educated to the definition of peace before concessions are given for peace.

[aaron]

Yoel: The commentary you brought up does not apply to an attack that was two years in the making. Barack went on record saying that he will attack when he is ready and nothing will hurry him up. Rain stopped him for a day or two, so I don't see why waiting another day would factor in a greater outcome than what was given on Shabbat.
Again between you and me and all of Judaism no one is arguing about a preemptive/defensive war that was brought upon us during or right before Shabbat. Of course, go in with full force until your enemy is no longer. This was not the case. For seven years Sderot has been under attack. The last two years have been unbearable, much worse than the last two weeks. You can bet your life that Barack was not consulting a Rabbi when he attacked Gaza on Shabbat just like he didn't care a flying ass that he kicked Jews out of their rightful home in Hevron. Wake up man.

As a side note. There is a tradition that until Chanukah, Jews never warred on Shabbat. Not that they were not allowed to, just that it never came up. If this is true then that would be only attributable to God's or for your sensitivity G-d's direct involvement. God does not want us to fight on Shabbat but you and Barack do.

[aaron]

About Shabbat, Of course if we are attacked or if we will save lives by attacking on Shabbat then I am all for it. I just learned that we were supposed to attack on Friday or Thursday but because of a little rain we waited till Shabbat. So we can wait for a few drops of percipitation but not for Torah? If anyone would like to respond again, then I would prefer for him/her to state why it was advantageous to attack on Shabbat rather than before or after. There was no such advantage, this was a desecration or a chilul hashem for Yoel. Yoel we are speaking in english. I used Hashem instead of God which I would rather have used, but nothing is good enough for you. Hashem is the name. God is the english name for the creator and ruler of the universe. There are many hebrew talkbacks if english bothers you.

[There is NO Santa Claus]

Hamas declares war. AGAIN????

When has Hams NOT been at war with the Jews?

[Whatistruth?]

Yoel,

Thank you for the information. You are quite good at locating practical facts about Judaism.

That said, you are woefully pathetic when it comes to judging motives. How is it that you never fail to find cause to disdain the post of a Christian? Just how is it that you find my post being "fast to condemn Israel"? Or, perhaps you find my post about the Land and obedience to be accurate but you just can't stand to have a Christian point it out!

If I didn't know you were a conservative and a zionist, I would think you were just another mindless, reactionary liberal who has no idea how to generate an independent thought.., let alone, be objective.

[David Weiss]

It's about time!

[Yoel]

aaron, you say that you are a super Zionist and live in Haifa your profile you did not state if you are a Jew or not your answer to Been to Israel? Not interested was that supposed to be a joke? You use the word bible Not Tanakh or Torah why as a Jew living in Israel would you use the word bible as fast as you did. Read my post to whats what and you will get your answer to your post, my fellow Jew.