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Gaza rocket fire continues despite Islamic Jihad ceasefire claim
Rockets fired from the Gaza Strip continued to land on southern Israel yesterday despite the announcement earlier in the day of a ceasefire by Islamic Jihad.
Up to 60 rockets were fired by the group on Wednesday evening, with a reported 41 rockets landing on Israeli territory, eight in built-up areas. The barrage was the largest rocket onslaught on southern Israel since Operation Pillar of Defence in 2012, during which Israel sought to stop an increased rate of rocket fire from Gaza on Israeli population centres. Israel’s Air Force responded to Wednesday evening’s bombardment by hitting 29 strategic targets in Gaza, mostly Islamic Jihad positions.
Yesterday afternoon, Islamic Jihad leader Khaled al-Batsh announced that, “Following intensive Egyptian contacts and efforts, the agreement for calm has been restored.” Backed by Iran, Islamic Jihad often operates independently of Hamas, which has ruled the Gaza Strip since 2007.
However, shortly after the announcement, rocket fire from Gaza resumed once again and continued into the night. The IDF said 18 rockets in total were fired at southern Israel yesterday, including eight which landed in open areas and two which were shot down by the Iron Dome missile-defence system. No injuries were reported. Reuters speculates that the Popular Resistance Committee, an offshoot of extremist groups in Gaza, was largely responsible for yesterday’s rocket fire rather than Islamic Jihad. Early this morning, Israel’s Air Force struck seven strategic targets in response. IDF spokesman Peter Lerner said, “We will continue to retaliate to the aggression emanating from the Hamas run Gaza Strip.”
Yesterday, Israel’s Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon said that “quiet would be met with quiet” but warned that “if provocations continue, we will know how to pound whoever needs to be pounded.” He added, “We do not seek an escalation but we will not resign ourselves to any provocation from the organisations in Gaza.” Despite yesterday’s rocket fire, schools in most areas of southern Israel were expected to operate as normal this morning.