On Tuesday, over 600 rockets were launched by Gazan militant groups—Hamas and Islamic Jihad—at Israel, as violent clashes between Israelis and Palestinians continued in East Jerusalem. In retaliation, Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) undertook a major aerial offensive in Gaza, killing at least 33 people.
Rockets were initially fired into cities in Israel’s south, including Ashkelon and Ashdod, and later, a salvo was aimed at Jerusalem. Two women were killed and several others injured in Ashkelon as a result of the strikes, which also destroyed several buildings in the area. Saumya Santosh, a Keralite woman working as a housemaid in Ashkelon, was among those who died in the rocket attacks. Separately, a large tank in Ashkelon belonging to the Eilat-Ashkelon oil pipeline was hit by a rocket. Earlier today, Hamas fired more than 130 rockets at Tel Aviv, injuring several people, including a five-year-old.
Hamas had previously warned Israel of consequences if tensions escalated in East Jerusalem over the forcible eviction of Palestinians. “We are carrying [out] now our promise [by] launching a massive rocket strike against Tel Aviv and its suburbs, with 130 rockets, in response to the enemy’s targeting of residential towers,” Hamas’ armed wing said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Israel’s military said, “In response to hundreds of rockets in the last 24 hours, the IDF has struck a number of significant terror targets and terror operatives across the Gaza Strip, marking our largest strike since 2014.” The IDF also launched “Operation Guardian of the Walls” on Tuesday and killed the commander of Hamas anti-tank missile unit Iyad Fathi Faik Shakir in a targeted airstrike. Additionally, IDF raids killed an Islamic Jihad commander and senior members of his unit. In the aftermath of the attacks, the secretary-general of Islamic Jihad, Ziyad Al-Nakhalah, promised that the resistance “will not retreat and will continue to resist.”
According to the latest count, the IDF airstrikes in Gaza resulted in 33 deaths, including ten children. Palestinian Prime Minister (PM) Mohammad Shtayyeh accused Israel of “committing war crimes in Gaza” and urged the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to intervene to stop “the Israeli aggression against our people.”
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, on the other hand, in a joint statement with Defence Minister (DM) Benny Gantz and other heads of Israel’s military, urged Israelis “to strictly follow the directives of IDF Home Front Command and enter protected spaces”. Netanyahu also added: “This campaign will take time. With determination, unity and strength, we will restore security to the citizens of Israel.” Another senior Israeli official confirmed to the Jerusalem Post that Israel does not plan to negotiate a ceasefire before Hamas pays a price for its attacks. “Hamas fired a bunch of rockets, and then, of course, they want a ceasefire, that’s perfect for them, they don’t have to pay a price for firing on Jerusalem and then 500 rockets,” the official said.
The rise in hostilities between Israel and Hamas comes amid mounting tensions in East Jerusalem. Over the last two days, more than 700 Palestinians were injured in clashes with Israeli security forces in Jerusalem and the West Bank. The violence is a result of a long-standing land dispute in Sheikh Jarrah between Palestinians and Israeli settlers. Palestinians fear the possibility of being removed from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah as they await a decision by Israel’s Supreme Court on the highly contentious issue.
In a press briefing held on Tuesday, United States (US) State Department spokesperson Ned Price said that America is “deeply concerned” about the escalation between Israel and militant groups. “Israel has the right to defend itself and to respond to rocket attacks. The Palestinian people also have the right to safety and security, just as Israelis do,” Price said. US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan also spoke with his Israeli counterpart Meir Ben-Shabbat on Tuesday and discussed steps “towards restoring a sustainable calm.” British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab tweeted that while Britain “condemns the firing of rockets at Jerusalem and locations within Israel,” it also called for an “immediate de-escalation” as well as a stop to targeting of civilians.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also urged Israeli security forces to “exercise maximum restraint and calibrate their use of force” while retaliating against rocket fire. The strikes further drew harsh reactions from Iran, Turkey, Jordan and other Arab countries as well. Similarly, the Indian Permanent Representative to the UN, TS Tirumurti, called on both sides to “avoid changing the status quo on the ground [and stressed the] need to immediately resume direct peace talks.”
However, there were no signs of calm between both sides, as the violence spread to cities in Israel. Riots broke out in the Israeli city of Lod on Tuesday night. Three synagogues and several shops in the city were set on fire by rioters. There were also reports of a stabbing incident in Beersheba.
Hamas Launches Over 600 Rockets At Israel, IDF Responds With Airstrikes in Gaza
The rise in hostilities between Israel and Hamas comes amid mounting tensions in East Jerusalem.
May 12, 2021
SOURCE: MAHMUD HAMS/AFP