Footage of rockets being fired toward the sea during the drills
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad's (PIJ) military wing, the Al-Quds Brigades, held live-fire military drills in Gaza on Tuesday, including missile launches toward the sea. Loud explosions were heard in the northern Gaza Strip, and residents living in the area were notified of the drills ahead of time.
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"We're conducting an advanced military maneuver in the area using live fire, artillery, and military intelligence in order to simulate raids on Zionist military sites," the Al-Quds Brigades said in a statement following the drills.
The IDF's Spokesperson's Unit also reported that Israelis were informed of the launch after rockets were fired at the sea in Gaza, but added that they didn't cross into Israeli territory.
In response to the rise in the number of Jewish visitors to the Temple Mount, Palestinians in Gaza announced on Monday that they intended to resume riots along the Gaza border. The Gazan organization that arranged the riots referred to the Jewish visits to the Temple Mount as "violating the status quo in Al-Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem."
Last week, Israel decided to reopen the Erez Crossing, allowing Gazans to resume work in Israel following the riots along the border which included the launch of incendiary balloons at Israel. The decision was made after negotiations between Israel and Hamas mediated by Qatar and Egypt.
The Gaza-ruling Hamas insisted that it has never encouraged the riots but gave them its silent approval, and the Qatari envoy to Gaza, Mohammed al-Emadi, confirmed that his mediation efforts led to Israel's decision to reopen the crossing. "The situation in the Gaza Strip is dire, and further conflict will only serve to worsen its humanitarian crisis," he said.
A Gazan official said that Israel made several concessions to Hamas, including increasing the number of entry permits for Palestinian workers from Gaza, expanding the Strip's fishing zone, and allowing for more export and import of various goods.
Israel, however, emphasized that the promised steps would only take place should the quiet along the border remain. The organization leading the riots which is affiliated with Hamas and the Islamic Jihad said it would halt its activities but added that should Qatar not keep the promise to provide them with financial aid, riots will resume along the Gaza border.