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Israeli Warplanes Strike Gaza

   VOA News 02 January 2010
   A  Palestinian  boy flashes 'V' for victory sign during a protest near
   the  Rafah  border  with  Egypt,  31 Dec 2009, against the underground
   barrier Egypt is building along its border with the Gaza Strip

Photo: AFP

   Said  Khatib  A  Palestinian boy flashes 'V' for victory sign during a
   protest  near  the  Rafah  border with Egypt, 31 Dec 2009, against the
   underground  barrier  Egypt is building along its border with the Gaza
   Strip

   Israeli warplanes have launched missiles at several open fields in the
   Gaza Strip, sparking a series of loud explosions.
   Military  officials say the strikes late Friday night were designed to
   destroy a series of tunnels into Israel.
   They  say  Palestinian  militants intended to use the tunnels to carry
   out terrorist attacks.
   Palestinian  medical  officials  said  four people, including a child,
   suffered minor injuries.
   Hours  before the Israeli strikes, Palestinian militants in Gaza fired
   a mortar shell at Israel.
   On Thursday, a rocket fired from Gaza hit the southern Israeli town of
   Netivot.  Israeli police said no one was hurt.
   Earlier  Thursday,  hundreds  of  pro-Palestinian activists rallied on
   both  sides  of the Israel-Gaza border Thursday, demanding that Israel
   end its blockade of the territory.
   Israel launched a military offensive into Gaza just over a year ago to
   stop  cross-border  rocket  attacks  by Hamas militants.  The fighting
   killed at least 1,300 Palestinians and 13 Israelis.

   Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.

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