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Attack on School Bus Prompts Instant Response

Israel fires on Gaza City for first time since Cast Lead

by
Marc Tracy
April 07, 2011
Aftermath of the attack on the school bus.(Maariv)
Aftermath of the attack on the school bus.(Maariv)

Renewed violence between Gaza and Israel began when a rocket from Gaza hit a yellow school bus in southern Israel, injuring the bus driver and critically injuring a 16-year-old boy (who were the only two on the bus). Pictures from the scene of the attack show archetypal stuffed animals amid rubble. Defense Minister Barak ordered immediate retaliation—saying that Israel considers all attacks from Gaza to be Hamas’s responsibility—and a helicopter launched strikes that killed a 50-year-old man and injured several others, including a little girl.

The IDF reports that nearly 50 rockets have been launched from Gaza in just the past couple hours. Significantly, the Israeli helicopter attack was the first on Gaza City since Operation Cast Lead, begging the question: Are we about to witness the sequel?

Marc Tracy is a staff writer at The New Republic, and was previously a staff writer at Tablet. He tweets @marcatracy.