BICOM

Overnight Tuesday, the IDF targeted over 100 sites in Gaza linked to armed groups, bringing the total number of locations hit to 1500 in the eight days of Operation Pillar of Defence. Attacking from sea and air, targets included tunnels containing explosives, four weapons storage facilities, two weapons manufacturing facilities and underground rocket launchers.  Also hit was the Ministry of Internal Security and a what Israel described as Hamas’ intelligence operations centre, which was located in a media building used by the French AFP news agency.

Numerous senior members of armed groups were killed in strikes over the last 24 hours, including Yunas Shluf, who was responsible for rocket fire on the southern Israeli city of Eilat a few months ago. On Tuesday afternoon, the IDF dropped leaflets over Gaza, instructing civilians to leave northern Gaza and stay away from positions used by armed groups to launch attacks.

Meanwhile, journalists captured on camera the public execution by masked gunmen of six Palestinians yesterday, who were accused of collaborating with Israel. One of the bodies was tied to a motorbike and dragged through the streets. The number of Palestinians killed has reportedly reached 133, although it is not clear how many were involved in armed activity and how many were civilians‫.