Israeli warplanes attacked three Islamist Hamas positions in the Gaza Strip on Saturday night. The Israeli Armed Forces (IDF) announced in the morning on Twitter that a production facility for rockets, underground structures and a military base were shot at, among other things. The Palestinian media reported shattered windows and there were no deaths.
This was preceded by rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip on targets around southern Israel. “Hamas will bear the consequences for any terrorism from within the Gaza Strip,” the IDF tweet concluded.
Hours earlier, the Israeli military had reported on the rocket attacks on Christmas Day. “While families around the world sit around their Christmas trees, families in southern Israel run into bomb shelters,” read the IDF Twitter. Two rockets fired from the Gaza Strip were intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system.
Alarm sirens sounded in the southern city of Ashkelon and in areas near the Palestinian Territory. According to Israeli rescue workers, several people in shock had to be treated. It was the first rocket fire from the Gaza Strip in more than a month.
At the end of August, Hamas, following mediation from Qatar, announced a ceasefire with Israel. But then there were already several violations. In 2007, Israel tightened a blockade of the Gaza Strip, which is now supported by Egypt. Both countries justify the measure with security considerations.
Around two million people live under very poor conditions in the coastal strip on the Mediterranean. The Islamist Hamas is classified as a terrorist organization by Israel, the USA and the EU.