Tel Aviv/Gaza (dpa) – New rocket fire into Israel and Israeli air force attacks on Islamist Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip are fueling concerns about a further escalation.
Palestinian militants in the coastal area fired rockets into the border area again late on Thursday, the Israeli army said.
At night, one rocket hit the Sderot area and a second rocket fired during the night landed in the Gaza Strip itself.
In response to the first attack, the Israeli army said it fired on an underground complex in the Gaza Strip that was used to build rocket engines. That will limit the Palestinians’ ability to make rockets, he said.
The march of the flag has stopped
On Wednesday, Israeli police forces disrupted a controversial Israeli nationalist flag march in Jerusalem. Palestinian militant organizations in the Gaza Strip issued strong warnings against the march in advance.
Because of the security situation, the Israeli army has cordoned off the West Bank until the end of the Passover holiday on Saturday, according to a statement. However, Palestinians who wish to pray at the Temple Mount (Al-Haram al-Sharif) in Jerusalem during the Muslim fasting month, Ramadan, can enter the country under certain conditions. This also applies to humanitarian cases.
Recently, the situation in Jerusalem has once again become extremely tense. In recent days, Palestinians have clashed with Israeli security forces on the Temple Mount. There were several injuries. The clashes have further intensified tensions after a wave of terror in recent weeks.
Hamas threatens Israel
Hamas leader Ismail Haniya has threatened Israel with an escalation of the conflict over the Temple Mount. “We are just at the beginning of the fight,” Haniya said, according to Palestinian news agency Maan. “As we defeat the so-called flag march, we will also defeat the policy of intrusion (on the Temple Mount).” Israel’s actions will affect “all strategic dimensions” of the conflict, he warned.
On Monday, Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip fired a rocket into the Israeli border area for the first time since the beginning of the year. The missile was intercepted by the missile defense system. In response, Israel’s air force attacked a Hamas target in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday night.
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