Israel closes border with Gaza after rocket attacks
Israel announced over the weekend it was shuttering the Erez Crossing from the Gaza Strip and barring the entry of Gazans into the country following several rockets attacks.
Rockets launched from Gaza. (Majdi Fathi/TPS)
On Friday night, Gazan terrorists fired two rockets toward Israel. One of the rockets landed in Israel, causing no injuries or damage, and one landed in Gaza.
On Saturday night, terrorists fired another two rockets, which landed inside Gaza. One of the rockets exploded next to a UNRWA school, injuring a Gazan.
The attacks are believed to be the work of the Islamic Jihad terror organization.
The government decided not to respond militarily to the attacks, and instead announced it was barring the entry of some 12,000 Gazans for work in Israel.
“The decision to open the crossing will be examined according to the assessment of the situation,” the IDF’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) stated.
Senior Islamic Jihad official Khader Habib stated in response that the “continued closure of the Gaza crossings is aggression that will blow up the situation. The closure reflects the aggressive nature of the occupation[Israel], and it continues to abuse our people in Gaza, and the resistance will not allow it to continue.”
Senior Hamas official Mushir al-Masri reportedly sent a message to Israel through mediators that closing the Erez Crossing would lead to “an increased escalation,” the Al-Jazeera network reported.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett refrained from responding militarily to the reoccurring attacks from Gaza despite numerous declarations he would do so.
