Thursday, January 7, 2010

In the morning, the Israeli air force drops leaflets over Gaza warning residents that they will be shot if they approach closer than 300 m to the Gaza border fence; a map showing the no-go zones places the southern villages of Abasan and Khuza within the no-go area. Claiming retaliation for the 1/5 IDF air strike that killed 2 of its mbrs., the PRCs fire at least 10 mortars toward the Kerem Shalom crossing (3 land inside Gaza), causing no damage or injuries. Israel shuts the Kerem Shalom crossing through 1/9 in response. Later, unidentified Palestinians fire an antitank weapon across the border at an IDF patrol operating inside Israel e. of Jabaliya, causing no damage or injuries; the IDF directs artillery fire (6 shells) at the launch site causing no injuries. Late in the day, unidentified Palestinians fire a manufactured Grad-type rocket that lands nr. Ashqelon, causing no damage or injuries. (IFM, YA 1/7; JP, NYT, WP 1/8; OCHA 1/13; PCHR 1/14)