Senior Palestinian leader among 10 killed in Israeli air strikes on Gaza

Jerusalem, Mar 10(ANI): At least 10 Palestinians, including a senior Palestinian militant leader, were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza.

Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) Secretary General Zohair al-Qaisi was attacked because he was conspiring an attack, the Israelis said, while another militant was killed alongwith him, the BBC reports.

An Israeli military spokesperson blamed Qaisi for a series of gun and bomb attacks near Israel's border with Egypt in 2011, in which eight Israelis were killed. Ten of the attackers and five Egyptian soldiers had also died in the same attack.

Zohair al-Qaisi took over as head of the Popular Resistance Committees when his predecessor died in the same manner in August 2011.

He had earlier survived an unexplained explosion at his family home in Gaza in which at least one person died.

The Israeli military said dozens of rockets were fired into Israel, apparently in retaliation for the PRC leaders killing.

A PRC spokesperson vowed revenge against Israel for the attack.

"All options are open before the fighters to respond to this despicable crime. The assassination of our chief will not end our resistance," Abu Attiya said.

The PRC, which represents a number of armed factions aligned with Hamas, has carried out several rocket and grenade attacks against Israel. It also sometimes operates independently of Hamas. (ANI)