Gaza Militant Fires Dozens Of Rockets At Israel

DOC/Yellow UNICEF/Yad El Baba/Khan Younis, Gaza

JAKARTA - The Palestinian Islamic Jihad Group fired a series of rockets at Israel as a show of strength as Israeli tanks continued to advance further into Gaza amid heavy fighting.

Gaza militants, Iran-backed Hamas allies, said its fighters fired rockets at several Israeli settlements near the Gaza fence in response to the Zionist enemy crimes against the Palestinian people.

Shots of about 20 rockets resulted in no casualties, according to the Israeli military. However, the report shows militants still have rocket capabilities nearly nine months after an Israeli attack that is said to aim to neutralize threats against Israel.

In some areas of Gaza, militants continue to carry out attacks on Israeli troops in the territory that the army left a few months ago.

On Monday, Israeli tanks deepened their attacks on the outskirts of Shejaia in eastern Gaza City for a fifth day, and the tanks advanced further in western and central Rafah, in southern Gaza near the border with Egypt, residents said.

The Israeli military said it had killed a number of militants in fighting in Shejaia and found large numbers of weapons there.

Hamas said in Rafah, his militants lured Israeli troops into a trap house in the east of the city and then killed them, causing casualties.

In Rafah, the Israeli military said airstrikes killed a militant who fired anti-tank missiles at its troops.

Israel has signaled its operation in Rafah, which is meant to eradicate Hamas, is coming to an end. Once the intense phase of war ends, its troops will focus on small-scale operations meant to stop the re-establishment of Hamas, officials said.

The war began when Hamas-led fighters stormed southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and holding about 250 people hostage, including civilians and soldiers, returned to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.