The Palestinian militant group Hamas which governs the Gaza Strip has reportedly initiated a crackdown on Salafist fighters within its ranks who are responsible for instances of unauthorized rocket fire into Israel, which has been sporadic in the last two weeks since President Trump's contentious recognition of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital on December 6th.
On Wednesday at least three more rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip in a continuation of sporadic violence that has left the region on edge after President Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel a week ago. Today's attack brings the number of rockets fired from Gaza into Israel since Trump's announcement to eight (a few more have been launched but landed in Palestinian territory), which marks the largest number fired since Operation Protective Edge in 2014.
Following last week's escalating protests and violence in Israel and the Palestinian territories which also witnessed two days of sporadic rocket volleys out of Gaza and retaliatory air strikes by Israel, there are new reports Monday of a fresh round of rocket attacks.
After a day of escalating violence in Israel and the Palestinian territories which left at least two Palestinians dead and dozens injured in clashes with police and Israeli soldiers, Israel is on high alert with public alarm warnings sounding across multiple communities in the south after at least three rockets were from fired from the Gaza Strip Friday evening.
On Thursday, the Palestinian armed group al-Nasser Salah al-Deen Brigades announced in an official statement that its fighters fired several rockets from Gaza strip targeting Israeli settlements north of it. The statement was released by al-Nasser Salah al-Deen news agency “al-Buraq” and the armed group stressed that this is only the first response to Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and warned that more will follow.