Palestinians Firing Missile Barrages At Israeli Hospitals Treating Gaza Residents (Plus: Israeli Response Somewhat Underwhelming, Constrained)

In response to another day of Palestinian rocket and missile barrages targeting Israeli schools and hospitals…

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired three Kassam rockets and two mortar shells at the western Negev on Tuesday afternoon… by the military’s count, terrorists have fired more than 140 rockets and mortars at Israel… On Tuesday, a spokesman for the Hamas-run Interior Ministry accused Israel of subverting the truce. “We call on the Palestinian factions to meet to begin an immediate re-evaluation of the calm,” spokesman Ihab al-Ghussein said.

… the Olmert government is releasing 250 Palestinian prisoners and expanding Israel’s missile warning system. In fairness to Olmert: anything more than the current round of limited strikes will instantly draw the same histrionics from the Palestinians and the same resistance from the State Department that the last Gaza campaign triggers. At least this way Israeli civilians get to know when missiles they can’t do anything about are heading their way.

Some other people who get to know when missiles are heading into Israel: the Gaza residents being treated in the Israeli hospitals that are being targeted:

Yediot Aharonot notes that “approximately 25 residents of Gaza are hospitalized at Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon,” and reminds its readers that last Friday, “a Kassam rocket hit Ashkelon and shook the hospital.” The author says, “Outside, there is a war to sow destruction and death, while inside, behind the walls of the hospital, we fight for patients’ lives, regardless of their national origin. If, Heaven forbid, a Kassam falls on the hospital, in Gaza they will certainly cheer the great achievement. Nobody will think for a second about the residents of the Strip who are being cared for there.”

It’s almost like Israelis embrace a slightly more robust moral code than the delicate international darlings who live in the Gaza Strip. At least ostensible Palestinian moderates are always willing to explain what’s really ruining the peace process: Israel’s settlement policy. Obviously.

References:
* 3 Kassams, 2 mortar shells fired from northern Gaza Strip [JPost]
* Olmert promises to free 250 prisoners [JPost]
* IDF Home Front links Ashdod up to rocket-warning system [Ha'aretz]
* Gaza: Islamic Jihad Terrorist Fires Qassam, Promptly Killed by Israeli Airstrike…. [Zippers]
* PA: Gaza ‘massacre’ threatens talks [JPost]
* Report: Rice asked Olmert to halt strikes in Gaza [YNet]
* Summary of editorials from the Hebrew press 18 Nov 2008 [Israeli MFA]
* Palestinian PM: Settlement building will destroy peace process [Ha'aretz]

Previously:
* Hamas: If Israel Frees Kidnapped Soldier Then We’ll Kidnap More Soldiers (Plus: Prisoner Release Will Bring Down Abbas?)
* Palestinian Terrorist Murders 86 Year Old J’lem Man, Hamas Says It Was Because He Was Just Too Jewish (Plus: Multiple Terrorism Attempts Yesterday)
* Moderate State Department Darling Abbas: We’ll Declare War If Israel Doesn’t Withdraw