JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli aircraft struck 30 houses in the Gaza Strip early Friday, killing a leader of
the militant Islamic Jihad group and two of his sons, as Israel’s Security Cabinet was to meet later in
the day to decide whether to expand its operation or consider ideas for a cease-fire.
Israeli ground troops and Hamas gunmen fought intense battles in the north and center of the territory,
Palestinian officials said.
The Israeli military said it hit 45 sites in Gaza, including what it said was a Hamas military command
post, while Gaza militants continued to fire rockets at Israel, with one hitting an empty house.
On the 18th day of fighting, Israel’s Security Cabinet was to convene later Friday to consider
international cease-fire proposals, an Israeli defense official said, speaking on condition of anonymity
because the deliberations were taking place behind closed doors.
One plan calls for a five-day humanitarian truce during which Israel and Hamas would negotiate new border
arrangements for blockaded Gaza, said Hana Amireh, a senior Palestine Liberation Organization official
in the West Bank, who is involved in cease-fire efforts.
Hamas has said it will not halt fire without international guarantees that Egypt and Israel will open
Gaza’s border crossings and end their seven-year-old blockade. Israel and Egypt are reluctant to ease
the blockade, fearing this will enable Hamas to tighten its grip on Gaza.
Israeli media reported that the military also wants more time to continue destroying rocket sites and
tunnels from Gaza into Israel that Hamas has used to launch attacks. The military says it has found 31
tunnels but only destroyed about one-third of them so far. Israel has mobilized over 65,000 reserve
forces during the fighting.
In Jerusalem, meanwhile, thousands of Israeli security forces were deployed for possible Palestinian
protests after Friday prayers at a key Muslim holy site, said police spokeswoman Luba Samri.
The night before, thousands of Palestinians protesting the Gaza fighting clashed with Israeli soldiers in
the West Bank and in east Jerusalem in one of the biggest protests in the territory in years. One
Palestinian was killed and dozens were wounded, according to Palestinian medical officials.
In Gaza, the Palestinian death toll reached 817, after 115 were killed on Thursday in one of the
deadliest days of fighting, said Ashraf al-Kidra, a Palestinian health official. More than 5,000
Palestinians have been wounded since July 8, he said.
During the same period, 34 Israelis, among them 32 soldiers, and a Thai worker were killed.
Early Friday, Israeli warplanes struck 30 houses throughout the Gaza Strip, including the home of Salah
Hassanein, a leader of the military wing of Islamic Jihad, the second-largest militant group in Gaza
after Hamas.
Hassanein and two of his sons were killed in the strike, said Gaza police spokesman Ayman Batniji and
al-Kidra. The Israeli army confirmed the strike.
Over the past two weeks, Israeli aircraft have repeatedly hit homes of Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaders.
Most had gone into hiding, but the strikes killed a leader of an Islamic Jihad rocket squad, a Hamas
commander and a son of senior Hamas leader Khalil al-Haya, according to the Israeli military.
Such strikes have also claimed the lives of a large number of civilians. A Gaza human rights group said
earlier this week that close to 500 homes have been damaged or destroyed in direct hits from the air,
and that more than 320 people have been killed in their homes as a result of military strikes.
Germany’s two largest airlines said they are not yet resuming flights to Israel even though the European
Aviation Safety Agency has lifted a recommendation that airlines refrain from flying to Tel Aviv
airport.
Air Berlin says flights to Tel Aviv remain suspended at least through midday Friday, while Lufthansa says
all Friday flights to the airport have been canceled because of ongoing security concerns after a Gaza
rocket landed about a mile away from Israel’s international airport.
Lufthansa’s cancellations apply to subsidiaries Germanwings, Austrian Airlines, Swiss and Brussels
Airlines as well.
———
Barzak reported from Gaza City. Associated Press writer Karin Laub in Gaza City, Gaza Strip contributed
to this report.