Israeli Air Force Held Back By Day, Attacked By Night

Sunday morning in Israel is like Monday morning in the Western world. On Sunday, the workweek begins, as does the school week.

Arab terrorists in Gaza also know that.

It could, therefore, have been no coincidence that Arab terrorists chose to launch rocket attacks on at least 20 Israeli targets at around 7:30 a.m. Sunday morning.

In one of those attacks, a Gaza rocket exploded between two nursery schools on a kibbutz, where 35 children had begun their week of play.

A kibbutz member told Voice of Israel radio that miraculously not one child was scratched, despite the explosion’s close proximity.

Four hours later, a salvo of four mortar shells was fired at one of the kibbutz communities along the Gaza perimeter.

Six hours passed quietly, and another salvo of five mortar shells fell on these kibbutz communities, injuring two Israeli soldiers.

Another mortar shell fell on the road near the kibbutz, injuring a civilian.

At night, the Israel Air Force (IAF) launched attacks from the air in the central and southern Gaza Strip, attacking a building Israeli security officials said served Hamas in the central Gaza Strip.

The IDF also attacked five smuggling tunnels along the Philadelphi road, which runs along the Egyptian border.

Earlier, residents of Rafah, in the Gaza Strip, reported that they had received phone messages from Israeli security forces telling them to evacuate their homes.

Meanwhile, Israeli intelligence officials reported leaders of Hamas’ military forces were hiding underground.

Gaza Sources: ‘Tahdia’ Starting Thursday – Not A Truce

In yet another development, according to sources in the Egyptian government who have spoken with the Israeli media, a new “tahdia” arrangement will go into effect this Thursday.

Many Israeli and foreign media outlets have misrepresented this initiative as if it is some kind of truce or a cease-fire, neither of which are being considered as an option by the Arab leadership in Gaza.

A “sulch,” or cessation of hostile activity in Arabic, has not been discussed in Cairo.

Instead, a “tahdia” in Islamic lore allows for an agreement to be breached and allows you to prepare for war.

The previous two “tahdia” arrangements with Hamas in Gaza yielded the following results:

Nov. 26, 2006 – May 15, 2007

• 315 attacks from Gaza

June 19, 2008 – Dec. 19, 2008

• 377 attacks from Gaza

Israelis worry a new “tahdia” would be no different.

David Bedein can be reached at dbedein@israelbehindthenews.com