A rocket fired Sunday night from the southern Gaza Strip landed in a neighborhood under construction in Kibbutz Nirim, part of the Gaza border communities, the IDF said.
The attack triggered sirens and came one week after the government lifted security restrictions on seven Gaza-border communities, including Nirim.
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Rocket fired from Gaza lands in neighborhood under reconstruction in Kibbutz Nirim
(Photo: Eshkol Regional Council)
“In response to the alert activated in Nirim at 9 p.m., one launch from the southern Gaza Strip toward Israeli territory was identified. It fell in the Nirim area. There were no casualties,” the IDF said in a statement.
In a later statement, the military added, "Following the fallen mortar [shell] in the area of Nirim, the IAF conducted an initial inquiry tonight (Sunday). The inquiry suggests that the mortar wasn’t intercepted due to human error. The lessons have been learned and will be implemented immediately."
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The impact caused light damage to several buildings that are currently under construction or undergoing repairs following the October 7 Hamas-led massacre. No residents were present in the damaged structures. Kibbutz Nirim officials notified residents that there were no injuries and that security teams were conducting a sweep of the area.
The rocket strike occurred shortly after a government decision allowing residents of the affected Gaza border region communities to return home, citing the removal of previous security concerns. The policy change followed a telephone vote by ministers Ze’ev Elkin, Bezalel Smotrich, Israel Katz and Haim Katz.
2 View gallery
Rocket fired from Gaza lands in neighborhood under reconstruction in Kibbutz Nirim
(Photo: Eshkol Regional Council)
Under the new policy, residents of the seven designated communities are required to vacate evacuation centers by the end of July. The affected communities had been previously classified under two categories: “security restriction” and “rehabilitation restriction.”
According to the government’s Tkumah Directorate, the communities that had only security restrictions removed are Sufa, Netiv HaAsara and Nir Yitzhak. Those that had both security and rehabilitation restrictions lifted are Kerem Shalom, Nirim and Ein HaShlosha. Re’im was under rehabilitation restriction only, which has now also been lifted.
Despite the policy shift, a recent survey by the Forum HaBayta, which represents the so-called “red zone” communities hardest hit on October 7, painted a more cautious picture. As of the 600th day of the war, only 24.3% of residents from 11 communities—including Be’eri, Nir Oz, Nahal Oz, Kfar Aza, Re’im, Nirim, Sufa, Holit, Nir Yitzhak, Kissufim and Netiv HaAsara—had returned to live in their homes.