Gaza: Over 150 rockets fired by Hamas causing one serious injury; IDF retaliates - UPDATES

Anna Ahronheim
The Jerusalem Post
Sat, 04 May 2019 17:03 UTC

© Reuters/Mohammed Salem

Retaliatory IDF rocket hits Gaza May 4, 2019

Over 150 rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israeli communities on Saturday, leaving one woman severely injured from shrapnel.

According to IDF Spokesperson's Unit dozens of projectiles were intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system.

While the majority of rockets launched by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad struck in open areas, several rockets made direct hits on homes in communities in southern Israel, including in Sderot and Ashkelon.

Magen David Adom reported that a 50 year old woman was injured severely and suffering from shrapnel wounds to her head and limbs. She was evacuated to Barzilai Hospital by MDA teams.

Incoming rocket sirens began early on Saturday morning and by early afternoon were heard in Israel's Shefla region and in Kiryat Malachi and Beit Shemesh near Jerusalem. In response the IDF attacked over 30 targets belonging to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad across the Gaza Strip.

Among the targets struck were a number of Hamas military compounds in the Gaza City neighborhoods of Tel Alawah and Shajiya, which are used for training and manufacturing weapons. Other targets struck belonged to Hamas' naval force and a joint military compound used by Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PLO) in Beit Lahiya.

Among the targets struck were a number of Hamas military compounds in the Gaza City neighborhoods of Tel Alawah and Shajiya, which are used for training and manufacturing weapons. Other targets struck belonged to Hamas' naval force and a joint military compound used by Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PLO) in Beit Lahiya.

Several targets belonging to Palestinian Islamic Jihad were struck including a number of military compounds in Dir al-Balah, Tel Sultan, Shati and Khan Yunis. The IDF also struck two high-trajectory launchers and several observation posts along the border.

A statement released by IDF Spokesperson's Unit:

"The attacks were carried out in response to the high trajectory rocket launches by terror organizations from the Gaza Strip towards the citizens of the State of Israel. The IDF views with great severity the rocket attack/ against Israeli settlements, and is highly prepared to continue to act as necessary."

© Police Spokesperson Unit

Rocket shell landed on Route 4 highway near Ashkelon.

Israeli tanks fired at Hamas posts at the Gaza strip, the IDF Spokesperson's Unit reported.

Palestinian Islamic Jihad released a statement on Saturday afternoon threatening the upcoming Eurovision song contest, saying:

"The group will prevent the enemy from holding a festival whose purpose is to undermine the Palestinian narrative. The civilians (of Israel) are destined to hell for the continual expansion of the Israeli aggression towards our people and our resistance. We say to the decision-makers in Israel: do not dream of having quiet while the Palestinian people pay the price. The resistance is committed to respond to the Enemy's aggression and to surprise him."

The European Broadcasting Union stated:

"Despite the rocket attacks the rehearsals will continue as normal" and the situation will be "closely monitored. Safety and security is always of paramount importance for the EBU. We continue to work alongside KAN and the Home Front Command to safeguard the wellbeing of everyone working in and joining us at Expo Tel Aviv. We will continue to closely monitor the current situation and rehearsals will continue as normal."

Earlier in the day Prime Minister Netanyahu held consultations with senior defense officials at the Kirya Military headquarters in Tel Aviv. IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen Aviv Kochavi also held a situational assessment with his deputy Eyal Zamir, the heads of the Southern Command, Military Intelligence, Operations Directorate, Air Force, Home Front Command, Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, the Shin Bet, and other senior officials.

The Home Front Command issued instructions for residents in southern Israel to remain near protected spaces and limited public gatherings to 300 people in enclosed spaces only and no agricultural work is allowed.

Many municipalities including Beersheba opened public shelters.

Early Saturday morning the IDF closed several roads and hills near the Gaza border after violent clashes on Friday's weekly March of Return injured two IDF soldiers and killed two Palestinians.

An IAF air strike overnight killed another two Hamas militants.

Comment: The IDF unleash retaliatory strikes on Gaza:

Violence resumed in Gaza this week after two Israeli troops were shot and injured while on patrol along the border in Gaza, triggering IDF retaliatory airstrikes. At least four Palestinians were killed and dozens of others wounded, including 10 children, three paramedics and a journalist. In the midst of the escalation, Hamas vowed tit-for-tat response.

Update 5/4/2019, 17:53 from The Jerusalem Post : Attack tunnel discovered and destroyed

Rocket sirens were heard once again at the Gaza border communities of Kerem Shalom and Eshkol region.

IDF tanks and helicopters began attacking terrorist targets belonging to Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip, managing to destroy an Islamic Jihad attack tunnel entering Israel from the southern part of the strip.

"The resistance is always ready to respond to the crimes of the occupation," the Hamas Spokesperosn in Gaza said, while the Islamic Jihad claimed that "We are committed to protecting our people and to deter Israel at all costs and under all circumstances."

Islamic Jihad Deputy Khalil al-Hayya added that "There is no escape but that the occupation will be committed to understandings and to break the siege. The resistance has tools capable of forcing Israel to maintain the understandings reached."

The Islamic Jihad leader Baha Abu al-Ata was invited to Cairo and immediately left Gaza through the Rafah border crossing. Israel has threatened to kill Abu al-Ata more than once, since he is responsible for the launching of many rockets into Israeli territory. Since the beginning of the weekend, five Palestinians have been killed according to Palestinian sources.

Update 5/4/2019, 7:23 from RT: IDF now says 200 missiles were launched from Gaza

Amid the outbreak of violence, Israel closed the Kerem Shalom and Erez crossings into Gaza and suspended all fishing off the Gaza coast. A smaller Palestinian armed group said that one of its fighters was killed in an IDF airstrike, while the Gaza Health Ministry reported at least six people were wounded.

Hamas confirmed they were members of its military wing and pledged to respond to what it called "Israeli aggression." In a threat delivered through social media, the group said that it will respond "to the crimes of the occupation and the killing of our people."

Update 5/4/2019, 9:38 from RT: Two killed, including infant, several injured

Four Palestinians have been injured in an Israeli airstrike around the town of Beit Hanoun in the north of the Gaza Strip with at least two people killed, including a 22-year-old man, a one-year-old baby and several injured after Israel's military responded with force. [O]n the Israeli side of the border, an 80-year-old woman was severely wounded in a Palestinian strike on the city of Kiryat Gat.

© REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

© REUTERS/Amir Cohen

Smoke and debris rises following an explosion on the Gaza side of the Israel-Gaza border, seen from the Israeli side May 4, 2019.

© REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa

Smoke rises during Israeli air strikes in the southern Gaza Strip May 4, 2019.

UPDATE 5/4/2019 6:27 From Times of Israel: Islamic Jihad threatens attacks on Dimona reactor, Ben Gurion Airport

The military wing of the Gaza-based Islamic Jihad terror group on Saturday released a video threatening rocket attacks on the nuclear facility in Dimona and other sensitive sites in Israel, amid continuous rocket fire from the enclave and IDF strikes in response.

The release of the video, which shows members of the Iran-backed group loading projectiles into a rocket launcher, comes amid a round of fighting between Israel and terror groups in the Gaza Strip.

In addition to the Dimona reactor, the video also shows footage of Ben Gurion Airport, the Ashdod port and refineries in the northern city of Haifa.