Site of IAF strike in Gaza
Site of IAF strike in Gaza

The “Cast Lead” operation continued in Gaza on Monday as the IAF carried out several strikes targeting senior terrorists and Hamas weapons supplies.

On Monday evening, the IAF targeted a truck full of Grad rockets as it drove through northern Gaza. A second strike demolished a weapons warehouse in Beit Lahiya, north of Gaza city.

Shortly before 5:00 p.m. Monday afternoon the IAF hit the house of senior Hamas terrorist Maher Zaquot in Beit Lahiya. Seven people were killed in the strike. Gaza media reports were conflicting, with some saying Zaquot was killed and others saying Zaquot was not among the dead, and that the casualties were bystanders.

Earlier on Monday, Gaza residents reported that senior Islamic Jihad terrorist Ziad Abu-Tir was in an IAF strike on his home in Khan Younis. His brother, nephew, and two others were killed as well.

Strikes early on Monday afternoon destroyed a Hamas outpost in southern Gaza City and a Hamas training camp in central Gaza. Death tolls were much lower than in previous strikes, as most terrorists have fled Hamas outposts and gone into hiding. One Fatah terrorist was killed.

Several other targets were hit as well. Gaza Arabs accused the IAF of hitting a truck bringing fuel to Gaza, killing the driver.

Gaza terrorists fired 53 rockets and six mortar shells at Israeli towns between Monday morning and evening. One rocket landed in an Ashkelon construction site, killing one worker and wounding several others. The deceased was identified as 27-year-old Hani Elmahadi of the Bedouin city of Aroer.

A second rocket landed in a densely populated part of the city but hit a tree and failed to cause death or injury. The explosion caused damage to nearby buildings.

One rocket slammed into a house in Sderot, causing psychological shock but no physical wounds.