Rocket fire into Israel continues as ceasefire remains elusive
Iron Dome intercepts 1 projectile; soldier lightly injured from shrapnel after mortar shell explodes in Eshkol; Israel gives Egypt 24 hours to broker ceasefire.
By JPOST.COM STAFF, YAAKOV LAPPINIron Dome launcher 390(photo credit: REUTERS/Amir Cohen)
A slew of rocket fire from Gaza continued throughout Saturday afternoon, with Palestinian terrorists launching 11 projectiles toward Israel since midnight.A soldier was lightly wounded from shrapnel after a mortal shell exploded in Eshkol Regional Council Saturday afternoon, the IDF said.The soldier was taken to hospital for medical treatment. No other injuries were reported.The Iron Dome rocket defense system intercepted one projectile over southern Israel.On Friday, some 20 rockets were fired by Gazan terrorists.The Israel Air Force struck targets in the southern Gaza Strip on Friday evening in retaliation for the Palestinian rocket barrage that pounded the South. There is no word of casualties.According to the IDF Spokesperson's Unit, IAF aircraft struck three sites near the southern Gaza town of Rafah. The targets were apparently pieces of equipment used to launch rockets.Within an hour after the attack, four rockets exploded in the Eshkol regional council. No word of casualties.Israel was slated to wait an additional 24 hours from Friday to allow the Egyptian government to broker a ceasefire which Jerusalem hopes will restore calm along the Gaza frontier.In total, 18 rockets from Gaza struck Israel on Friday.
Israeli commentators reported on Friday that Hamas has communicated to Cairo its desire to end the current round of fighting in the south. According to reports, Hamas has no wish to escalate the situation in the south, which has heated up in recent days as Palestinians in Gaza continue to pound the western Negev communities with rockets and mortars.Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has seemingly opted for a restrained Israeli military response against Hamas despite the fact that rockets continue to explode in the south.The Israeli cabinet was reportedly divided over the appropriate Israeli response to the Palestinian rocket barrage. Hawkish ministers like Naftali Bennett, Avigdor Liberman, and Gilad Erdan want a more aggressive military blow against Hamas, while Tzipi Livni, Yair Lapid, and Yitzhak Aharonovich have urged the prime minister to refrain from ordering a stepped-up assault on Hamas.Thus far, Netanyahu has been siding with the moderates in the cabinet, according to Channel 10.
