Gaza rockets hit south Israel, army strikes back
Updated: 2014-04-21 20:59
(Agencies)
|
||||||||
An Israeli boy looks at shrapnel at a parking lot in the Israeli southern city of Sderot after a rocket fired by Palestinian from Gaza Strip landed in the town April 21, 2014. [Photo/Agencies] |
GAZA - Seven rockets fired from the Gaza Strip landed in southern Israel during the Jewish Passover holiday on Monday, drawing retaliatory air strikes from the Israeli army, officials said, the first cross-border clash in several weeks.
Israel's army said its strikes hit two training camps run by Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group that controls Gaza. Medical sources there said two Hamas militants were lightly wounded.
Hamas has largely maintained a truce with Israel since a brief war in late 2012, but it has sometimes struggled to rein in smaller armed Islamist factions hostile to the Israel.
There was no claim of responsibility for the latest rocket salvo from any of those factions, who are opposed to troubled peace talks between their Palestinian rivals in the occupied West Bank and Israel.
Two of the projectiles from Gaza exploded in the southern Israeli border community of Sderot in a road and an open area, Israeli police said. There were no reports of any injuries.
Israel holds Hamas responsible for any rocket fire from the Strip and routinely retaliates against it.
"Israeli civilians celebrating the Passover Holiday woke up this morning to the sound of Code-Red alarms and rockets ... Hamas rocket terrorism is an intolerable reality Israelis should not have to accept," Israeli army spokesman Peter Lerner said in a statement.
Residents of Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza said an Israeli helicopter opened fire there, though it was not clear what it was targeting. Hamas confirmed its training camps had been attacked but did not comment on the reports of rockets.
Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005 after 38 years of occupation, a unilateral move that boosted Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other Palestinian groups.
Palestinians seek a state in the West Bank and Gaza, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Two Islamist groups fired rockets at Israel over several days in early March, and Israel responded with air strikes.
- Palestinian beekeepers harvest honey in Gaza Strip
- Israeli military confirms Gaza air strikes following rocket fire
- Gaza rockets, Israeli air strikes persist despite truce call
- Militants in Gaza exchange fire with Israel
- Gaza militants fire rockets at Israeli cities
- Israeli warplanes raid militants in Gaza after rocket attacks
- Hamas ban in Egypt may complicate ties with Gaza
- Highlights of Easter Parade in NY
- Tulip named by Chinese first lady goes on show
- In photos: cars dazzle at Beijing Auto Show
- Multinational drill to be held in East China port city
- William, Kate visit Australian air force base
- Top 10 Chinese Internet firms eyeing IPOs in US
- Google glass making profits in China
- BlackRock licensed to invest further in China using yuan
Most Viewed
Editor's Picks
Beijing integrates with Tianjin, Hebei |
Enemies share eternity together |
Expats flee big, smoggy cities |
Life after an only child dies |
Parents put kindergartens to the test |
Nomads change for education |
Today's Top News
Chinese naval chief won't meet Japanese officials
Charges near over China kickbacks in car exports
S. Korean ferry death toll at 64
Malaysia jet in emergency landing
New human H7N9 case reported
'Capt. America' stays atop box office
China on frontlines of cyber threat
China raises alert against cancer
US Weekly
Geared to go |
The place to be |