GAZA CITY, gaza strip — An Israeli airstrike in Gaza on Friday killed the commander of the militant group behind the abduction of Gilad Schalit, an Israeli soldier who was held captive for more than five years and freed in an October prisoner swap.
The midday attack marked the highest-profile Israeli strike against the coastal strip in several months and set off a violent escalation after a period of relative calm.
Various Palestinian militant groups fired dozens of rockets in return, some deep into Israeli territory. The Israeli military pounded several rocket-launching cells in Gaza. In all, 10 Palestinian militants were killed, and one Israeli citizen was hurt.
The Israeli military said it initially targeted Zuhair al-Qaissi, the commander of the armed wing of the Popular Resistance Committee, a large militant group closely aligned with Gaza’s Hamas rulers. The explosion tore apart al-Qaissi’s blue sedan and killed his son-in-law, Mahmoud Hanini — a top PRC field commander. A low-ranking Gaza militant also died.
Hours later, the Israeli military killed two more militants that it said were about to launch rockets. After midnight, Palestinian officials said another four were killed in and around Gaza City.
Palestinian witnesses said Israeli drones were hovering overhead moments before al-Qaissi’s vehicle burst into flames.
The Israeli military said al-Qaissi was plotting an infiltration attack into Israel similar to the one he orchestrated in August from the Sinai peninsula that killed eight Israelis and injured 40 more.
