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<p><strong> Gaza Under Attack </strong><strong><strong>&#8211; <a href="http://wp.me/p16sn9-4Ey" target="_blank">Timeline</a> </strong></strong><strong>| In pictures <a href="http://wp.me/p16sn9-b1M" target="_blank">Aug-Sept</a> 2011 | <a href="http://wp.me/p16sn9-eEB" target="_blank">Oct-Nov</a> 2011 | <a href="http://wp.me/p16sn9-g5V" target="_blank">Dec</a> </strong></p>
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<p><img class="imagecache imagecache-5cols imagecache-default imagecache-5cols_default" title="Palestinians carry the body of Abdallah al-Telbani, during his funeral in Gaza City 28 December 2011. (Photo: REUTERS - Mohammed Salem)" src="https://i0.wp.com/english.al-akhbar.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/5cols/leading_images/GazaStrike_28122011.jpg" alt="" /></p>
<div class="image-caption">Palestinians carry the body of Abdallah al-Telbani, during his funeral in Gaza City 28 December 2011. (Photo: REUTERS &#8211; Mohammed Salem)</div>
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<div class="meta"><strong><span class="published">Published <span class="date-display-single">Wednesday, December 28, 2011 | Al Akhbar</span></span></strong><br />
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<p>Hamas warned that it will defend itself by any means in the wake of another Israeli airstrike on Gaza overnight that killed one, and wounded roughly 20 others, a Hamas official said.</p>
<p>Israeli jets hit the car of Abdallah al-Telbani, a 22-year-old member of Islamic Jihad, killing him instantly as he was driving with his friends near his residence in the Jabaliya refugee camp, Ihab Ghousain, spokesman for Gaza&#8217;s interior ministry, said.</p>
<p>Ghousain denied Israeli military claims that the strike targeted Palestinian militants planning cross-border attacks on Israel from Egypt, saying that Telbani had no connections to any recent operations.</p>
<p>&#8220;He [Telbani] wasn&#8217;t doing anything, he was near his residence with his friends. He doesn&#8217;t have any connection with any operation at the moment,&#8221; Ghousain told <em>al-Akhbar</em> by phone from Gaza, adding the Israeli accusation was &#8220;just so the Israelis can have a reason to strike Gaza.&#8221;</p>
<p>Israeli warplanes struck a second jeep heading east of Gaza City, injuring eight people in an attempt to target a Hamas member in the vehicle.</p>
<p>Israel again accused the member of attempting a cross-border attack from Egypt, but Ghousain denied this allegation, revealing that the targeted member was an employee of the interior ministry in Gaza.</p>
<p>&#8220;He works in the interior ministry and with national security, but he wasn&#8217;t at work, he was just in his car with his friends,&#8221; Ghousain said.</p>
<p>Ghousain could not confirm Israeli reports that a rocket had struck the southern Israeli area of Shaar Hanegev in retaliation for the airstrikes, but ruled out direct Hamas involvement.</p>
<p>Israel has conducted several airstrikes in recent weeks against Gaza in an apparent attempt to escalate tensions with the Hamas-ruled enclave.</p>
<p>Israel&#8217;s latest attacks on Gaza are partly an attempt to deflect attention from the recent prisoner exchange deal involving Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit and hundreds of Palestinian detainees, Ghousain said.</p>
<p>The Hamas spokesman also noted that the attacks came as Palestinian factions engage in reconciliation efforts to end internal divisions.</p>
<p>&#8220;They [Israel] don&#8217;t want us to reconcile. The strikes are a way for the Israelis to try and stop the reconciliation,&#8221; he said.</p>
<p>Ghousain said Israeli efforts to undermine the reconciliation process will not succeed, reiterating Hamas&#8217; commitment to the talks.</p>
<p>&#8220;We [Hamas] insist on continuing the reconciliation steps and we should have a unity government very soon. We should not follow the Israeli or the American process,&#8221; he added.</p>
<p>When asked about Hamas&#8217; strategy to respond to recent Israeli airstrikes, the Hamas official said it was still committed to restraint, but warned its patience was running out.</p>
<p>&#8220;We [Hamas] have made a decision to maintain calm [in Gaza], but if Israeli strikes continue, there might be another Palestinian agreement on returning to using any way to defend ourselves.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;All Palestinian factions agree to remain calm, but if [Israeli] strikes continue, this won&#8217;t last long,&#8221; he warned.</p>
<p>Israel maintains a siege on the Gaza Strip, and a military occupation of the West Bank, while continuing to expand illegal Jewish settlements.</p>
<p><em>(al-Akhbar, AFP)</em></p>
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<p><strong><a href="http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/hamas-warns-israel-after-overnight-airstrike-kills-one?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AlAkhbarEnglish+%28Al+Akhbar+English%29">Source and more at Al Akhbar English</a>.</strong></p>
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<p><strong>Memorial Website | <a href="http://nevercastleadagain.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Never Cast Lead Again</a> &#8211; War on Gaza</strong></p>
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