After Israeli attacks, the Palestinians fired back. The militant group Islamic Jihad spoke of a “message”. The hope of a ceasefire in the Middle East conflict seems a long way off.
Gun battles between Israel and the Palestinians continue. Palestinian extremists fired rockets at Israel. Because of the shelling from the Gaza Strip, sirens were also used in Jerusalem to warn of air raids.
According to a local spokesman, the Israeli settlement of Bat Ajin south of Jerusalem was affected. An open field was hit there, said spokesman Josh Hasten. Local residents reported explosions and black smoke.
Islamic Jihad speaks of “message”
Islamic Jihad said: “The bombing of Jerusalem sends a message.” The missiles ended a 12-hour period during which attacks had subsided. Israel continued airstrikes on targets in the Gaza Strip overnight. According to the AFP news agency, the army flew at least three airstrikes on the south of the region.
The Israeli military said the fighter jets disabled the group’s rocket launchers. Previously, Islamic Jihad had apparently stopped its rocket fire during the night – things had remained relatively quiet on the Israeli side.
Another senior Palestinian militant killed
According to Palestinian information from the Reuters news agency, two Palestinians were killed in Israel’s most recent attacks – including another high-ranking member of Islamic Jihad. According to Reuters, this is said to be Eyad al-Hasani, a member of the militant group’s top military council.
According to this, a total of six high-ranking members of Islamic Jihad have died in the attacks over the past few days. Among them are said to have been the commander of the Al-Quds Brigades, Ali Ghali, who was killed by Israel, and his deputy.
Palestinians carry the body of Ali Ghali, the commander of the Al-Quds Brigades missile unit, and his brother and bodyguard Mahmoud Ghali, who were killed in an Israeli airstrike.
Israel fires back again
According to the Israeli military, the Israeli military responded to the attacks by the Palestinians with air strikes on four Islamic Jihad positions. A mortar launcher in the Gaza Strip was also said to have been attacked.
The military has urged residents within a 40-kilometer radius of the area’s border to stay near bomb-proof shelters and refrain from public gatherings until Saturday night.
Israeli media reported that Israel had broken off talks on a ceasefire because of the renewed, heavy rocket fire. There was initially no official confirmation of this. “We will not comment on the rumors about the ceasefire,” said a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry when asked by the dpa news agency.
More than 800 rockets at Israel – 215 targets in the Gaza Strip
According to the army, Islamic Jihad has fired 866 rockets and mortar shells at densely populated areas in Israel since Wednesday, 670 of which crossed the border.
At the same time, according to the Israeli military, its airstrikes hit at least 215 targets in the Gaza Strip, including launching facilities for rockets and mortars. In addition, fighters were killed who wanted to use the weapons.
At least 31 dead – including children
According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health and the UN, at least 31 people have been killed since the mutual attacks began four days ago. In addition to the militant fighters and civilians, six children are among them.
At least three of the children were killed by misguided Palestinian rockets, the Israeli military and the Palestinian Center for Human Rights said. More than 100 Palestinians were injured, according to the Health Ministry.
In Israel, according to the army, a person died in the city of Rehovot, south of Tel Aviv, on Thursday when a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip hit it. Seven people were injured.
hope for a ceasefire
Representatives of Gaza’s ruling Hamas told local media that Egypt is stepping up diplomatic efforts to end the fighting through intensive contacts with both Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Cairo is traditionally seen as a mediator in the Middle East conflict.
In addition to Egypt, Germany, France and Jordan are also calling for an immediate ceasefire. “With every new day that people die, there will only be more losers and no winners,” said Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. The UN warned of “negative effects on the already difficult humanitarian situation in Gaza”.
New escalation of violence after death during hunger strike
This week’s fighting began after the death of an Islamic Jihad member. He died as a result of a hunger strike in Israeli custody. The Palestinian militants then fired rockets into Israeli territory. The Israeli Air Force responded with attacks that killed three Islamic Jihad commanders and some of their wives and children on Tuesday.