19 Palestinians were killed Friday by Zionist artillery bombardment that targeted different areas in Gaza.
47 Palestinians were killed Friday by Zionist artillery bombardment that targeted different areas in Gaza.
The Palestinian resistance factions responded by launching dozens of rockets onto the Israeli settlements and bravely confronted the ground invasion.
The Israeli army announced that a number of soldiers were wounded in Gaza clashes with the Palestinian resistance fighters.
Palestinian resistance was bravely countering the Israeli ground assault against Gaza, as the Zionist enemy announced its first combat death since the offensive against the besieged strip started 11 days ago.
Heavy clashes took place at dawn Friday between resistance fighters and the occupation forces, who tried to infiltrate the Gaza strip from several positions, including the northern town of Beit Hanoun.
Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, declared the resistance fighters had ambushed an Israeli unit in the southern town of Khan Younes, as they detonated 5 explosive devices inflicting losses on the Israeli unit.
The enemy has also announced the injury of seven soldiers, with one seriously, after another Israeli unit was ambushed by resistance fighters, north of Beit Lahia.
Offensive Death Toll
Meanwhile, the death toll of the Palestinians soared to 280 with the army bombarding Gaza by air and sea as well as from tanks massed along the border.
A five-month-old baby was among the 19 Palestinians martyred on Friday.
A Gaza-based human rights group said more than 80 percent of the Palestinian martyrs were civilians.
Resistance Vows Israel 'Would Pay Price'
Earlier, before the ground offensive was launched, Zionist Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his defense minister, Moshe Yaalon, instructed the army "to commence ground action to strike at the terrorist tunnels from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory," the premier's office said.
Army spokesman Major Arye Shalicar told AFP Israel's goal was "to strike Hamas infrastructure and operatives in Gaza, including tunnels.”
For its part, Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas said the ground operation was destined to fail.
"What the occupier Israel failed to achieve through its air and sea raids, it will not be able to achieve with a ground offensive. It is bound to fail," Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal said.
A Hamas spokesman in Gaza said "Israel will pay a high price" for launching the ground operation and that the resistance movement "is ready for the confrontation".
