AFP PHOTO / JACK GUEZ
Two Grad rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel on Saturday night; the rockets hit the cities of Netivot and Beersheba in southern Israel damaging two buildings, reported the Jerusalem Post.
The first rockets hit an open area in Beersheba causing no damages, while the other targeted Netivot and damaged two homes.
The Jerusalem Post reported 7 casualties; three were slightly hurt as they ran to the shelters after the emergency sirens went off and four suffered shock.
The attack comes after the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) killed six Palestinians in Gaza; three east of Beit Hanun and three in Al-Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza. The six were allegedly plotting two attacks against Israel but the IDF managed to foil the attacks on Wednesday night and Thursday morning using tanks and aircrafts.
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) Spokesman’s Office said that “the IDF will not tolerate any attempt to harm Israeli civilians, and will operate against anyone who uses terror against the State of Israel. The Hamas terror organization is solely responsible for any terrorist activity emanating from the Gaza Strip” the Jerusalem Post reported.
On Friday, the Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said that Israel could reoccupy the Gaza Strip. “If the cabinet will want the IDF to conquer and control Gaza, this is something that is possible today if it is deemed fit” he said.
Barak made this statement at a conference held at the Fisher Brothers Institute for Air and Space Strategic Studies; his speech focused on Operation Cast Lead 2009, also known as the “Gaza war” which followed continuous rocket fire from Gaza into Israel.
Palestinian factions have increased rocket fire against Israel over the past week. On Saturday a Salafi militant group claimed responsibility for the two rockets that hit an open area in Sdot Negev southern Israel on Friday, reported AFP.
Tension on the Israeli borders with Gaza is not uncommon, rockets being fired from Gaza into Israel and the Israeli military launching airstrikes in response.
According to AFP the latest major confrontation was in June when Palestinian factions fired more than 150 rockets into Israel, five people were wounded as a result of the attacks. The Israeli military responded with airstrikes killing about 15 Palestinians.
