Resistance responds to Israeli massacre of Gaza family with massive barrage

Hamas military wing, Qassam Brigades, and other resistance factions launched dozens of missiles after a number of Palestinians were killed in fresh Israeli aggression in the occupied West Bank and the besieged Gaza Strip.  

Cities in southern Israel faced an intense barrage of rockets overnight Friday and Saturday, with several heavy waves of projectile fire targeting Ashkelon, Ashdod, Beersheva, Sderot and the surrounding areas.

Alert sirens were heard in cities and towns near Gaza, in Kissufim, Ein Hashlosha, Nir Oz, Yad Mordechai, Netiv Ha’asara and other locations, the Times of Israel reported.

The daily said 19 people were taken to Beersheva's Soroka Medical Center.

A huge fire broke out in an industrial zone and several buildings were damaged after a barrage of missiles was fired at Ashdod in response to the massacre of an entire family at the Shati refugee camp in Gaza.

Qassam Brigade said it had fired several rockets at Hatzerim Airbase in the Negev Desert on the outskirts of Beersheva. 

Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad movement, also said it targeted Tel Aviv with several rockets.

The pre-dawn airstrike by Israeli warplanes killed eight children and two women from the Abu Hatab family and injured 15 others, the Palestinian Ma'an news agency reported.

The warplanes targeted their home near the al-Sousi mosque west of Gaza with three missiles, without prior warning.

"The massacre in al-Shati camp showed the extent of the Zionist regime's helplessness and defeat," Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh said.

"This massacre represents the extent of the stalemate that the occupiers are experiencing in the face of the greatness of the resistance and the surprising deeds of the men loyal to it," he added. 

Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said the extermination of the entire family in the al-Shati camp "shows the volume of the Zionist regime's savage terrorism against our nation".

"This crime shows that the occupiers are incapable in the face of the resistance in Jerusalem al-Quds and the West Bank and Gaza,” he added.

At least 139 Palestinians, including 39 children and 22 women, have been killed and about 1,000 others injured in Gaza in the Israeli regime's latest round of aggression that began on Monday.

Lebanon's al-Mayadeen television channel network said boats belonging to the Israeli army targeted the port of Gaza early Saturday.

According to the Israeli military, some 200 rockets were launched at Israel from Gaza between 7 p.m. Friday and 7 a.m. Saturday.

Israel says at least nine settlers, including an officer, have been killed and more than 566 others injured in the Palestinian resistance’s shelling of settlements, military sites, and occupied cities as part of Operation al-Quds’ Sword that started on May 10.

The Israeli military said Palestinian resistance groups in Gaza have fired over 2,000 rockets toward the occupied lands since the outbreak of fighting on Monday.

Tanker owners asked to switch ports  

Shipping sources told Reuters Friday that at least two tanker owners delivering crude oil to Israel had been asked to divert from Ashkelon to the port of Haifa because of the fighting.

The sources said the tankers were carrying oil from the Black Sea. Major airlines have already stopped flights to Israeli airports.

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