Gaza: Israeli rocket hits Gaza home killing a woman

Hospital sources report that the victim is 54-year old Zeina Al-Amour. The woman died in the rubble of her home, hit by a missile fired from an Israeli tank. Days of heavy clashes recorded between the army and Hamas. New 30 meter deep tunnel discovered leading from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory.

 

Gaza (AsiaNews / Agencies) - A missile fired from an Israeli tank has killed a Palestinian woman in Gaza. This is what local witnesses report, denouncing the worst clashes between Israeli military and Hamas militants since 2014. Hospital sources added that the victim is 54-year old Zeina Al-Amour, who died in the rubble of her home in ' area of ​​Khan Yunis, south of Gaza, hit by rockets fired from the tank.

Another person, whose identity remains unknown, was injured in the attack.

Israeli authorities said they had opened fire in response to the firing of mortars by Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.

The clashes – which started yesterday afternoon and continued unabated this morning - follow the discovery of a new tunnel from Gaza into Israeli territory. According to Lt. Col. Peter Lerner the tunnel was dug 30 meters deep underground.

In an official statement Israel's defense minister, Moshe Yaalon, said the government will not be "intimidated" by "threats" of Hamas, constantly "violating" our sovereignty" until "the very last tunnel" is "discovered and brought to light."

Israel adds that yesterday's attacks were directed against Hamas militants in search of new underground tunnels dug by the Palestinian militant group. In response, Hamas militants warned that they "will not allow the continuation of Zionist aggression against the Gaza Strip".

Since last May 4 Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups have fired on at least 10 rockets and mortars; in contrast, the Israeli security forces have launched three heavy air raids on the Gaza Strip.

According to Hamas, the Israeli "raids"  represent a violation of the truce signed between the two sides in the summer of 2014, which put an end to 50 days of heavy fighting that killed 2,251 Palestinians (including 1,462 civilians) and left 11,321 wounded. At least 18 thousand homes in the Gaza Strip were destroyed or seriously damaged. In the violence, 67 Israeli civilians and six soldiers were also killed, about 1600 injured.

• Israel Palestine gaza Muslims Jews strip violence Islam fundamentalism