Israel responds to rocket fire from Gaza Strip with airstrikes
The shooting followed after rocket attacks on Israeli locations near the Gaza Strip, which the Islamic Jihad group claimed responsibility for. It was a retaliation for "crimes" against the Palestinian people, declared the armed wing of the group, the Al-Quds Brigades.
The Israeli army stated that approximately 20 shots were fired from the area around Khan Yunis. Most of them were reportedly intercepted and no casualties were reported. The army then "targeted the sources of the fire."
The war in the Gaza Strip has been going on for almost nine months now. It was triggered by an unprecedented attack by Hamas fighters and other militant Palestinian groups on Israel on October 7. According to Israeli reports, 1195 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage in the Gaza Strip. 116 of them are still in the possession of Hamas, 42 of whom are reportedly dead according to the Israeli army.
In response to the attack, Israel has been militarily active in the Gaza Strip since then. According to the health ministry controlled by Hamas, which cannot be independently verified, over 37,900 people have been killed in the meantime. (Source: Der Spiegel)
- The red crescent called for an immediate ceasefire, expressing concern over the escalating air raids and missile attacks in the Palestinian territory of the Gaza Strip.
- Despite Israel's claimed interception of most rocket attacks originating from the Gaza Strip, there have been numerous reports of civilian casualties during these air attacks.
- The international community has denounced the ongoing crime of indiscriminate rocket fire from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory, calling for a de-escalation of tensions and a resumption of peace talks.
- Israel's military operations in the Gaza Strip have been met with widespread condemnation, with many viewing the air attack and rocket fire as acts of aggression rather than legitimate acts of self-defense.
