IDF strikes Hamas targets after rocket fire towards Beersheba
Israel struck Hamas targets in Gaza after Palestinians launched two rockets towards the southern Israeli city of Beersheba early on Saturday morning. The IDF believes Hamas was responsible for firing the rockets.
It was the latest violation of a ceasefire understanding that was put in place on Thursday morning after two days of heavy fighting between Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the IDF. Since then sporadic rocket fire against Israel has threatened the fragile agreement, worked out in Cairo with the help of Egypt and United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov.
Saturday morning’s exchange of fire marked the first time since the renewal of Israeli-Gaza violence on November 12, that Hamas was involved in the conflict.
Until Saturday, all the violence of the last five days had been solely between the IDF and the PIJ. Israel had also refrained during that time from holding Hamas responsible for the rocket fire against Israel.
On Saturday, however, the IDF began to once again speak of Hamas.
