Israel Retaliates, Kills 6 in Gaza

Israel retaliated over terror attacks earlier today by launching airstrikes into Gaza that claimed the lives of six people, CNN reports. Palestinian authorities say the strikes, just west of Rafah near Egypt's border, killed five members of Popular Resistance Committees and the son of one member. Israeli defense forces say the members organized today's terror attacks with the hope of kidnapping an Israeli soldier or civilian. Seven Israelis were killed.

"The people who gave the order to murder our citizens and that were hiding in Gaza are no longer alive," said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But a Popular Resistance Committees spokesman denied responsibility for the earlier attacks on Israeli buses, soldiers, and civilian vehicles. Hamas also said it played no role in those attacks and warned it would retaliate, dubbing Israel's airstrikes "the crime in Rafah."