Israeli military: More than 1,000 rockets fired from Gaza Strip

Palestinian militants have fired more than 1,000 rockets at Israel so far amid the most recent outbreak of violence, an Israeli military spokesperson said early on Wednesday. Palestinian militants have been firing rockets at Israel since late on Monday. Israel's army has responded with attacks on targets in the Gaza Strip, primarily in the form of airstrikes.

Around 850 of the missiles launched by Palestinian forces were intercepted or went down in Israel, while some 200 went down in the Gaza Strip, spokesperson Jonathan Conricus said. He said five people in Israel have died due to rocket blasts, and more than 200 have been injured.

The Health Ministry in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip said the number of Palestinians killed has risen to 35, including 12 children, while 233 people were reported injured.

The Israeli army said it had killed at least 20 members of Hamas and the militant Islamist Jihad group, including high-ranking members. Israeli airstrikes have destroyed all police buildings in the Gaza Strip, a spokesperson for the Hamas-led Interior Ministry said early on Wednesday.

The Israeli army said it had shelled a building during the night that housed senior members of Hamas' military intelligence service. The homes of key Hamas representatives were also attacked, the Israeli military said.

 

Hamas' military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, meanwhile claimed responsibility for rocket attacks on Israel overnight. Police confirmed early on Wednesday that a man and a teenager were killed in Lod. Earlier reports had said it was a woman and child. Rescue organisation Zaka said a woman died late on Tuesday in the city of Rishon Lezion.

In Yehud, also in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, a house was directly hit, according to rescue services. Israel's military said it responded with the most comprehensive bombardment of the Gaza Strip since a clash between the two sides in 2014.

The airstrikes and rocket attacks followed violent clashes in recent days at the Jerusalem holy site known as the Temple Mount to Jews and the Noble Sanctuary to Muslims.

Tension between Israelis and Palestinians has escalated since the start of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan in mid-April. Ramadan ends this week.

Hamas had issued a Monday night ultimatum telling Israel to withdraw settlers and police from the Jerusalem holy site, parts of which had been cordoned off, and from the Sheikh Jarrah  neighbourhood.

Shortly after the deadline expired, mass rocket attacks began.    (dpa)