Gaza: Hamas' Jaabari Killed In Israeli Attacks

Israeli airstrikes have hit a series of targets across Gaza City, after one killed the commander of Hamas' military wing.

Palestinian officials say the attacks have killed a total of nine people so far - including a seven-year-old girl - and injured 20.

Two of the Hamas' training facilities were among the sites hit by the bombings in Gaza City, Khan Younis and Rafah.

Israel says the airstrikes are the beginning of a broader operation, launched in response to days of heavy rocket fire from Gaza.

They say the killing Hamas military commander Ahmed al Jaabari is "the beginning".

Israel military spokeswoman Avital Liebovich said: "After the rocket fire of recent days, the chief of staff has decided to authorise the targetting of terrorist organisations in the Gaza Strip -- Hamas, Islamic Jihad and others. This is the beginning."

Mr Jaabari's car was travelling through Gaza City when it was hit

Another spokesman, Brigadier-General Yoav Mordechai told Channel 2 TV said the ensuing conflict could "prove protracted", adding that "the homefront must brace itself resiliently".

The Israeli Defence Force says the number of cross-border rocket launches from Gaza has risen from 310 in 2009 to 1,200 in 2012.

The attacks mark the biggest escalation between Israel and Gaza militants since a 2008-2009 conflict - and came despite signs on Tuesday that neighbouring Egypt had managed to broker a truce in the enclave after a five day surge of violence.

Immediate calls for revenge were broadcast over Hamas radio.

"The occupation has opened the doors of hell," Hamas's armed wing said.

Sky's Foreign Affairs Editor Tim Marshall said the anticipated rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza could have major consequences.

"Every missile fired carries the risk of triggering the ground attack because if there is a single Israeli civilian fatality caused by rocket fire, the IDF will probably go in," he said.

Hamas said Mr Jaabari, who ran the organisation's armed wing, the Izz el Deen al Qassam, died along with a passenger after their car was hit by an Israeli missile in Gaza City.

Mr Jabaari oversaw the release of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in October 2011, in exchange for 1,027 prisoners in Israeli jails.

Israel's Shin Bet domestic intelligence service confirmed it had carried out the attack, saying it had killed Jaabri because of his "decade-long terrorist activity". He has long topped Israel's most-wanted list.

It marks a dramatic resumption of Israel's policy of assassinating Palestinian militant leaders.

A tweet posted by the British Foreign Office said: "We continue to call on all sides to exercise restraint to prevent a dangerous escalation that would be in no one's interests."

Mr Jaabari becomes the most senior Hamas official to be killed since an Israeli invasion of Gaza four years ago.

Crowds of people and security personnel rushed to the scene of the strike, trying to put out the fire that had engulfed the car and left it a charred shell.

Hamas police cordoned off the area around a hospital where at least one body from the strike was taken.

Israeli officials had said in recent days that they were considering assassinating top Hamas officials following a wave of heavy rocket fire from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, triggering Israeli airstrikes.

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