HAMAS BREAKS CEASEFIRE: Rockets, Kite Bombs Fired Into Israel; IDF Responds

Color Red Sirens wailed in the Gaza Periphery towards the end of Shabbos in numerous towns as once again Hamas broke the supposed cease-fire with Israel and attacked Israeli civilians by firing rockets at towns and villages in the area. The Iron Dome anti-rocket system activated and shot down two of the rockets and another fell within the confines of the Gaza strip. Luckily no damage or injuries were caused by the rockets.

Thousands of Israelis were sent rushing to bomb shelters throughout the night as sirens were repeatedly triggered to warn them of incoming fire.

The towns which were alerted to take shelter were all in the Eshkol region, west of the Gaza Strip. Gadi Yarkoni, Head of the Eshkol regional council, said: “The events that transpired in the Eshkol region this past week do not fit the term “Quiet” or Cease-fire. We are in continuous contact with the IDF and according to the most recent outlooks of the current situation there is no change in the instructions given to the residents of the region. We have faith that the IDF knows how to make the right decisions together with the political echelon in order to restore quiet to the area for the long term.”

Firefighters battled brush fires ad blazes that were ignited by arson kite bombs sent over from Gaza into Israeli territory. 12 teams of firefighters and four firefighting planes were activated on Shabbos morning in order to put out the large blaze that had begun in the Carmia nature reserve that had broken out following an arson kite bomb from Gaza landing in the wooded area and starting the blaze. According to the Ministry for the Protection of Parks and Nature in Israel, some 3,000 dunams of the nature reserve, almost one-third of the entire area was destroyed by the blaze.

The flames were fanned by the strong winds in the area and plumes of poisonous and thick smoke rose from the blaze and covered the area around the park. The greenhouses in the nearby town of Nativ Ha’Asara were in danger of being destroyed by the blaze until firefighters got that area of the blaze under control.

Numerous other fires broke out in the Gaza periphery due to arson kite bombs sent from the Strip also on Shabbat. Some of the other locations included the forest of Kisufim and a field of thorns near the town of Nir Am. Firefighters were able to bring that fire under control just before it began burning buildings in the town.

In response to the rocket attack on Saturday evening, the Israeli Air Force launched a series of strikes on targets throughout the Gaza Strip.

“The IDF, using fighter jets, attacked 10 terror targets in three compounds belonging to the Hamas terror group in the Gaza Strip. Among the targets that were attacked were two sites used to manufacture and store weapons and a military compound,” the army said.

Source: (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)