Advertisement

Israel strikes Gaza after rocket fire

JERUSALEM, March 14 (UPI) -- Israeli planes hit two terror targets in northern Gaza early Wednesday, hours after a Grad rocket was fired at the Negev town of Netivot.

The airstrike came less than 24 hours after understandings between Israel and Hamas led to a cease-fire to end violence that started after an Israeli airstrike killed Zuhir al-Qaisi, the commander of the Popular Resistance Committee in Gaza, who the army said was planning a large terror attack on Israel's southern border. The Egyptian-brokered deal went into effect at 1 a.m. Tuesday.

Advertisement

Despite this, Palestinians in Gaza fired a number of rockets, mortar shells and a Grad rocket at southern Israel Tuesday, Israel's Channel 2 reported. In the attack on Netivot, one civilian was injured by shrapnel and 11 people were treated for shock, the television channel quoted police officials as saying.

Schools in southern Israel were open Wednesday and pupils returned to studies after being forced to stay at home for three days as a security precaution.

Summing up the four days of hostilities, the Hebrew daily Maariv said 56 of the 240 rockets fired at southern Israel were intercepted by Iron Dome missile defense batteries. The air force conducted 37 strikes against terror targets in the Gaza Strip, killing 22 militants and four Palestinian civilians. Four Israelis were injured, the newspaper said.

Advertisement

Latest Headlines