Islamic Jihad: Gaza escalation attempt to distract from Palestinian killed in West Bank

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed Thursday that the escalation on the Gaza border was Israel's attempt to distract from the death of a Palestinian in the West Bank earlier that day.

"We reserve the right to respond to the escalation that Israel bears responsibility for. The attack was carried out to divert attention from the crimes committed by the settlers in Qusra," said the spokesman for Islamic Jihad.

Earlier Thursday the Islamic Jihad movement launched mortar shells at IDF positions on the Gaza border, prompting the IDF to retaliate.