Israel has targeted Gaza in the past, but the number of simultaneous attacks was unprecedented.
Israeli warplanes retaliating for rocket fire from the Gaza Strip pounded dozens of security compounds across the Hamas-ruledterritory in unprecedented waves of airstrikes Saturday, killing atleast 155 and wounding more than 310 in the single bloodiest day offighting in recent memory.
Hamas said all of its security installations were hit and responded with several medium-range Grad rockets at Israel, reaching deeper than in the past. One Israeli was killed and at least four people were wounded.
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Baraksaid “the operation will last as long as necessary,” but it was notclear if it would be coupled with a ground offensive. Asked if Hamaspolitical leaders might be targeted next, military spokeswoman Maj.Avital Leibovich said, “Any Hamas target is a target.”
The strikes caused widespread panic and confusion in Gaza,as black clouds of smoke rose above the territory, ruled by Hamas forthe past 18 months. Some of the Israeli missiles struck in denselypopulated areas as children were leaving school, and women rushed intothe streets frantically looking for their children.
InGaza City’s main security compound, bodies of more than a dozenuniformed security officers lay on the ground. One survivor raised hisindex finger in a show of Muslim faith, uttering a prayer. The Gazapolice chief was among those killed. One man, his face bloodied, satdazed on the ground as a fire raged nearby.
It wasn’t immediately clear how many civilian casualties there were.
SaidMasri sat in the middle of a Gaza City street, close to a securitycompound, alternately slapping his face and covering his head with dustfrom the bombed-out building.
“My sonis gone, my son is gone,” wailed Masri, 57. The shopkeeper said he senthis 9-year-old son out to purchase cigarettes minutes before theairstrikes began and now could not find him. “May I burn like thecigarettes, may Israel burn,” Masri moaned.