Rocket fired from Gaza at Israel (file photo)
Hamas warns Israel of flare-up after IAF strikes in Gaza
Air Force attacks Hamas targets in northern Gaza in retaliation for rocket fired from the strip Saturday night; rocket landed in open area causing no injuries or damage.
Israel Air Force fighter jets attacked two Hamas targets in the northern Gaza Strip shortly before midnight on Saturday in retaliation for a rocket fired at the Sdot Negev Regional Council earlier in the evening.
After the strike on the terror organization's "underground infrastructure," Hamas warned the IDF that "the escalation is dangerous and using fire won't bring security to Israel and its residents."
"Israel continues killing non-violent protesters in cold blood and bomb the military posts of the resistance," Hamas said.
Rocket fired from Gaza at Israel (file photo)
A rocket launched from the Gaza Strip at 8:59pm Saturday landed in an open area in the Sdot Negev Regional Council. No one was hurt and no damage was caused.
The flare-up began on Friday afternoon, when some 13,000 Palestinians violently rioted on the Gaza border, throwing explosives, grenades and stones and burning tires.
In one location east of Gaza City, protesters tried to breach the border fence en masse. Amal al-Taramsi, 43, who had regularly attended the protests, was shot dead during the rioting.
Al-Mezan, a Palestinian human rights group, said she was around 200 meters (yards) from the fence when she was shot in the head.
IAF aircraft struck two Hamas positions in response to the violence without inflicting any casualties.
Israel has allowed Qatar to deliver $15 million in aid each month since November to pay the salaries of Hamas civil servants. The latest batch was delayed after a rocket attack earlier this month, but is widely expected to be delivered if the situation remains calm. The weekly protests have been more subdued since the understandings were reached.
Qatar has also bought fuel for Gaza's solo power plant, helping to reduce power outages. Electricity is still only available for a few hours every day, and the tap water in Gaza is undrinkable. The blockade has devastated the local economy in Gaza, where unemployment exceeds 50 percent.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
