Israel launched an air strike on the home of a senior politician of Hamas in Gaza City on Sunday, killing at least eight family members, a Hamas source said. According to the source, the senior politician Dr. Khalil al-Hayya was not there at the time and apparently was safe. Al-Hayya is the head of Hamas' faction in parliament.
The victims were identified as Ibrahim, Abd al Hamid, Bakr, Jihad, Alaa and Muhammad - all of them from al-Hayya family. One victim was not identified and another one was identified as Sameh Farawneh.
The Israeli strike was carried out hours after the security cabinet decided to "intensify operational measures" in the Gaza Strip in an attempt to stop rocket fire against southern Israel, a government official said.
The Israeli cabinet threatened that if Hamas attacks on Israel continue it would consider expanding targeted killings to include Hamas political leaders. "If the strong measures decided upon will not bring a calm [in fighting], then the cabinet will convene to weigh further, more drastic measures," the statement issued by the cabinet read, according to Haaretz.
© 2007 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
