Series of attack brings life in Israel to a sudden halt; Security Cabinet meeting called; Obama assures of help

Tensions between Israel and Gaza refuse to calm down. In the aerial attack so-far at least 82 Palestinians have been killed. The rockets fired by Gaza based militants have said to be reaching Tel Avav, Juerusalem, Asdod and more crucial towns of Israel. According to the latest inputs, massive damage was caused as 1 gas station was hit there.

Rockets sirens were also heard in Haifa which is said to be one of Israel’s biggest cities in the northern region. Apart from that Rocket Sirens were heard in Ashkelon area of Israel.

A video updated by the Israel Defence Force on twitter shows a barrage of rockets arriving in a city with rocket sirens going on and people running  under cover. The IDF has also confirmed that since the beginning of Operation Protective Edge, 548 rockets have been fired at Israel and that out of them, 118 have been intercepted by Iron Dome.

People there in Israel are going through fearful times. This series of attacks has bought a sudden halt to the normal life of Israel. Nobody knows when a rocket will be fired on which city. Suddenly sirens go on and people run to save their lives.

A video on the IDF blog showed Hamas spokesperson encouraging use of Hamas Shields. He said, “The fact that people are willing to sacrifice themselves against Israeli war planes in order to protect their homes, I believe this strategy is proving itself. And we, Hamas, call on our people to adopt this practice.

The Jerusalem Post reported that Netanyahu issues a statement saying that the operation was progressive as planned, and that more stages were expected.

A security Cabinet Meeting was conducted and present in this meeting were Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister D.M. Yaalon, IDF chief-of-staff Lt. Gen. Gantz and GOC Air Force Maj. Gen. Eshel.

In this meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “We are in the third day of Operation Protective Edge. While the campaign has gone as planned further stages yet await us. We have struck hard at Hamas and the terrorists and as long as the campaign continues we will strike at them harder. I would like to thank the IDF, ISA, and the security services for their professional, dedicated and precise actions, and express the appreciation of all Israelis. They are making every effort to avoid hitting civilians and innocents are hit it is because Hamas is maliciously hiding behind Palestinian civilians.”

“As of now, the IDF, ISA and other security services have successfully foiled many attempted attacks against Israeli citizens but a tough, complex and complicated campaign yet awaits us. Therefore, I call on all Israelis to continue to show the strength that you have shown in these days and hours. This civilian fortitude is a main component of our ability to continue operations until we finish the work of restoring quiet and security to Israel’s cities. The most important thing for us, for all of us, is to guard the lives of all Israelis and we are all working together to this end,” he added.

Defence Minister D.M. Yaalon said, “We are in the midst of Operation Protective Edge. As of now, we have hit Hamas and the other terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip very hard. Hundreds of targets have been destroyed including the homes of militants, government institutions, launchers, rockets and other war materiel. Dozens of terrorists have been killed and we are continuing to strike at Hamas and make it pay a heavy price for everything it has done in recent days.This is an opportunity to express appreciation to the IDF; the IDF has been active on land, sea and air, in both offensive and defensive efforts. The IDF has impressively succeeded in intercepting the rockets being launched at the State of Israel and in thwarting the terrorist organizations’ malicious intentions to perpetrate attacks, both by sea and in other ways.”

The Defence Minister then added, “But this is also the opportunity to express appreciation to the residents of Israel. I have visited several local councils and, indeed, the stamina of the public is an important component in our ability to continue the operation. But the public must also act properly; this is part of our ability to avoid casualties. The public must listen to instructions from the IDF Home Front Command. We will continue with this operation until we reach the desired result – the cessation of firing and the lifting of the threat to Israeli citizens and soldiers.”

The Associated Press (AP) reported that President Barack Obama has offered the help of the U.S in negotiating a cease-fire to the escalating violence between Israel and Hamas, as world leaders warned off an urgent need to avoid another Israeli-Palestinian war that could engulf the fragile region.

The AP also reported that Mounting casualties and the growing prospect of an Israeli ground incursion in Gaza drew alarm at the United Nations, where Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told an emergency Security Council meeting that it is more urgent than ever to avoid another Israeli-Palestinian war that could engulf the entire region. He called on both sides to agree to a cease-fire.

“It is unacceptable for citizens on both sides to permanently live in fear of the next aerial attack,” Ban said.

• About the Author

About Suyash Karangutkar

Suyash Karangutkar is a young, dedicated and an enthusiastic journalist who has a deep interest in National and International Affairs. He is an ardent political spectator who finds politics fascinating. At Spectralhues, he heads the Mumbai team and covers National Affairs & Politics. He also occasionally writes columns for Spectralhues. He can be followed on Twitter @columnistsuyash