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Rocket launches from Gaza toward Netivot and Sderot
(Video: Reuters)
Terrorists in Gaza fired rockets on southern Israeli communities seven times in just over 24 hours between Wednesday night and Thursday evening. The last attack on Thursday night included rockets fired on the southern city of Ashkelon, the first time the incoming rocket warning sirens have been activated in the city since February 27.
Moments after the attack, which also touched off alarms in Sderot, Ibim, Nir Am, Zikim, Karmia, Ashkelon, Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for firing the rockets, as well as an earlier rocket attack on Netivot, which also triggered rocket alerts in Noam Industrial Zone, Beit HaGdi, Shibolim, Sharsheret, Zimrat, Shuva, Kfar Maimon and Tushia.
The last time alarms were activated in Netivot was on January 16.
The rockets were intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system, but one rocket landed on a street in Sderot. The rocket caused some damage, but did not cause any injuries.
Following the rocket attacks and at the end of the Security Cabinet meeting after midnight on Thursday night, the cabinet authorized the delivery of increased humanitarian aid to Gaza, following pressure from U.S. President Joe Biden during a phone conversation earlier in the evening with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
This increased aid, it was announced at the end of the cabinet meeting, "will prevent a humanitarian crisis and is necessary to ensure the continuation of the fighting and the achievement of the war's objectives. In light of this, Israel will allow the temporary delivery of humanitarian aid through Ashdod port and the Erez Crossing and the increase of Jordanian aid through the Kerem Shalom Crossing."