Grad rockets land near Netivot

Four Palestinian rockets landed in the western Negev on Saturday. Residents of the Gaza-vicinity communities were awoken at 6:40 am as the Color Red alert sirens blared with the first two rockets, which landed in the Eshkol Regional Council and the Nahal Oz region.

Throughout the day barrages of mortar shells were fired from Gaza, most towards IDF forces operating along the border fence.

The two remaining rockets have been confirmed as being the longer-range Grads, similar to the one that crashed into an Ashkelon shopping mall several weeks ago. One of the rockets landed in an open area near the marketplace in Netivot and the other near Ma'agalim in the Sedot HaNegev Regional Council.

No injuries were reported and no damage was caused in any of the rocket attacks on Saturday.

IDF forces targeted five Hamas gunmen in northern Gaza near the Nahal Oz fuel terminal. Palestinian sources reported that a cell belong to the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, was

attacked in the Sajayia neighborhood east of Gaza City. Two of those wounded are said to be in critical condition. The army confirmed it targeted a cell firing mortar shells at troops.

Palestinians sources also said that an IDF ground force has entered Gaza and is operating near Khan Younis. Three Palestinians have been reported wounded in this operation, two of them gunmen.

Ali Waked and Yael Branovsky contributed to this report