Five rockets were fired towards Israel by militants in Gaza on Friday evening resulting in sirens sounding in the town of Sderot and communities of Ibim and Or Haner.
Israeli media reported that at least one rocket hit an open area outside Sderot and started a small fire, but there were no injuries.
In response, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) struck a number of Hamas military targets in the northern Gaza Strip. An IDF spokesperson said: “The IDF will continue to oppose attempts to harm Israeli civilians and considers the terror organisation [Hamas] responsible for what is happening inside and outside of the Gaza Strip”.
The exchange of fire came after two Palestinians were reportedly killed in clashes with troops along Gaza’s border with Israel on Friday. Since March last year, Palestinians have been holding regular mass protests along the border, but the IDF reported that Friday’s mobilisation was “especially violent”. Numerous Israeli media outlets reported the protesters throwing explosive devices, hand grenades, and fire bombs at the fence and IDF soldiers.
At least one additional rocket was launched from the Gaza Strip at southern Israel on Sunday night, but landed inside Gaza just short of the border.
On Tuesday night there were two further rockets fired from the Gaza Strip at southern Israel. One was intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defence system while the other fell in an open field near Ashkelon.
When the sirens went off in Israel, Prime Minister Netanyahu was speaking at a campaign rally in Ashdod and had to take cover, but resumed his speech about 20 minutes later.
