AMMAN — At least 25
rockets were reportedly fired from the Gaza Strip toward southern Israel on
Tuesday with two rockets hitting Sderot and at least three Israelis wounded, starting
just hours after Palestinian Islamic Jihad official Khader Adnan died after a
three-month-long hunger strike in Israeli custody.
اضافة اعلان
Israeli forces said it
has carried out tank strikes in the Gaza Strip following the rocket fire on
southern Israel.
According to the
Jerusalem Post, the first three rockets landed in open areas near the Gaza
border. The Iron Dome was not activated. Additionally, a mortar fired from the
Gaza Strip fell near the border fence on Tuesday morning.
Later in the
afternoon, 22 more rockets were fired, according to Israeli forces, causing
sirens to go off in multiple cities.
Palestinian groups
Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the rockets.
Arab and international
officials have been working with both sides to prevent escalation and end this
round as quickly as possible, according to Haaretz.
A diplomatic source
familiar with the contacts said: "We warned Israel in advance that the
death of Adnan would lead to a reaction, but unfortunately they didn't really
listen.”
“The effort now is to
end it and not to respond with something that will lead to more casualties that
will require each side to react."
Previous warningsPalestinian Islamic
Jihad officials had warned that Israel would “pay a heavy price” should Adnan
die in custody. On Tuesday morning, the movement stated that "the criminal
enemy will once again realize that its crimes will not go unanswered."
Adnan is the first
imprisoned Palestinian to die following a hunger strike.
The rocket fire on
Tuesday morning is the first since rockets were fired from Syria toward the
Golan Heights in early April. The last rocket fire from the Gaza Strip was on
April 7.
Israel threatens to
worsen prisoner conditionsIsraeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Minister Yoav Gallant both issued statements
signaling the severity with which they view the ongoing series of military
exchanges.
Netanyahu said that he
was receiving regular updates from his military secretary, Maj.-Gen. Avi Gil
and that he would be conducting a meeting with top defense officials later
Tuesday.
Gallant met with IDF
Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi midday and said, "Anyone who tries to
harm Israel's citizens will regret it."
Israeli Security
Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Israel Prison Service head Katy Perry held a
situation assessment after Adnan's death on Tuesday and decided to increase
security in the prisons.
Ben-Gvir additionally
instructed the prison service to inform the prisoners that if they go on hunger
strike or conduct riots, their living conditions will be worsened.
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