Air raid sirens sounded Tuesday night in the southern cities of Ashdod and Ashkelon wen two rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip during the signing ceremony at the White House between Israel, the UAE and Bahrain.
According to the IDF, one of the two rockets was successfully intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system.
The attack was apparently timed to coincide with the ceremony at the White House to normalize relations between Israel and the Gulf states.
According to reports, damage was caused to property in Ashdod, and three people were wounded by broken glass. A 62-year-old man was in moderate condition and a 28-year-old man sustained light wounds. A woman was also wounded and taken to Assuta Hospital in the city.
Four more people were treated for shock by Magen David Adom personnel shortly after the attack.
“When we arrived, there was commotion and destruction,” said medics Shahar Edri and Aharon Weinstein, who arrived at the scene to treat the wounded.
“Two wounded people were lying on the ground, including a 62-year-old man who suffered shrapnel wounds to his limbs and chest. We provided him with life-saving medical care and evacuated him to hospital.”
The medics added: "Another 28-year-old man suffered minor injuries from shards of glass and after initial treatment on the spot, we evacuated him to the hospital. We treated four other victims for shock and also evacuated them for further treatment at hospital."
Israel Police said that several sappers arrived at the scene of the strike in Ashdod.
"Police forces have closed off the scene of the incident and are carrying out their mission to remove any danger at the scene," they said.
The attacks occurred as UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan was delivering his remarks at the White House during the signing of the accords. The treaties are viewed by the Hamas terror group, which rules Gaza, as a betrayal of the Palestinian cause.
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UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan speaks as U.S. President Donald Trump looks on during the signing ceremony at the White House on Tuesday
(Photo: AP)
"The normalization agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain are not worth the ink with which they were written. The Palestinian people, who are committed to continuing the struggle until their rights are achieved, will deal with these agreements as if they were never drafted," said Hamas shortly after the attack.
Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Arouri said: “Ignoring very important issues will not save [U.S. President Donald] Trump and [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu. Arab organizations have shown that they are ready to turn to the White House at any moment. The position of the Arab League is disappointing and it is very unfortunate, its disintegration has allowed American pressure to bear fruit."