October 29, 2012

JERUSALEM (JTA) — Some 20 rockets fired from Gaza struck southern Israel on Sunday night and Monday morning.

The rockets landed in unpopulated areas and did not cause any injury or damage.

In response, Israel’s Air Force early on Monday morning targeted what the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement were a rocket launching site and a terror activity site in the northern Gaza Strip as well as a terror activity site in the southern Gaza Strip.

Hamas’ military wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, claimed responsibility for the rocket fire. The attacks were “in response to the continued Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip,” the brigades reportedly stated.

The rocket fire came after three long-range Grad rockets struck Beersheba on Sunday morning, ending a three-day, Egyptian-brokered unofficial ceasefire.

Schools were closed throughout Beersheba on Sunday following the Grad attack at about 5:30 a.m.  Schools throughout the region were open on Monday.

More than 70 rockets and mortars were fired last week from Gaza at southern Israeli communities.

Over 615 rockets fired from the Gaza Strip hit communities in southern Israel since January, out of which more than 150 were in October alone, according to the IDF.

On Sunday, Israel’s Cabinet unanimously approved full protection from rocket fire for all communities located up to 7 kilometers, or 4.3 miles, from the Gaza border, at a cost of about $70 million. Communities up to 5 kilometers, or 3 miles, previously were protected.
 

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