Report: Hamas test fires improved long-range missiles

Palestinian media sources say Hamas' military wing recently conducted test
launch of two rockets with range of dozens of kilometers • Rockets made in
Gaza with Iranian know-how • Palestinians say IDF shoots, kill two
Palestinians in West Bank and Gaza.

Daniel Siryoti and Lilach Shoval Israel Hayom 13 January 2013
http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=7043

Hamas fires a rocket from Gaza at southern Israeli communities during
Operation Pillar of Defense in November. |Photo credit: KOKO

Hamas fires a rocket from Gaza at southern Israeli communities during
Operation Pillar of Defense in November. |Photo credit: KOKO

Operation Pillar of Defense ended only two months ago, but Hamas is already
preparing for the next clash with Israel. Palestinian media sources have
reported that the military wing of the Gaza-based organization recently test
fired improved long-range missiles.

According to the reports, based on information from senior sources in Hamas'
military wing, the tests included the launching of two rockets with a range
of dozens of kilometers. The rockets were launched toward the Mediterranean
Sea off the Gazan coast from a Hamas training base located in what used to
be Gush Katif (the pre-Disengagement Jewish enclave).

Hamas' rocket unit expressed satisfaction with the results of the test
launches. The improved rockets were reportedly manufactured and assembled in
the Gaza Strip using Iranian know-how.

Meanwhile, Gaza media sources reported on Friday that IDF forces shot and
killed a young Palestinian near the Jabalya refugee camp in the northern
Gaza Strip. The victim, Anwar Mamlouk, 22, was demonstrating near the
security fence alongside dozens of other Palestinians who claimed the IDF
was preventing them from working their land.

The Palestinian news agency Ma'an quoted an IDF spokesman as saying that
"dozens of Palestinians gathered by the border fence in northern Gaza, in an
area that is forbidden. IDF forces in the area tried to disperse them
several times, and when [the demonstrators] failed to leave, they fired at
the foot of one of the suspects who was trying to damage the fence."

"The IDF will not tolerate any attempt to damage the security fence and to
harm the sovereignty of the state of Israel," he added.

On Saturday, Palestinian news sources reported that a Palestinian who tried
to infiltrate Israel from southern Hebron was shot and killed by IDF forces.

The IDF said, "a preliminary investigation into the incident found that
during an attempt to breach the security fence in the area of the Meitar
crossing, a Palestinian was shot in the lower part of his body. The
circumstances of the incident are still under investigation."