Intercept over Ashkelon
(צילום: מאיר תורג'מן)
Despite efforts by Egyptian mediators to secure a ceasefire. An Israeli official said late on Thursday, that no agreement has been reached and the fighting would continue.
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The IDF continued its airstrikes on Palestinian Islamic Jihad targets in the night hours on Thursday after rockets launched from the strip killed one woman and wounded a dozen others in the central Israel city of Rehovot. Over 200 sorties were conducted over Gaza, the IDF said.
Despite efforts by Egyptian mediators to secure a ceasefire. An Israeli official said late on Thursday, that no agreement has been reached and the fighting would continue.
Rocket barrages targeted communities in the south nearly all evening, most intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was holding security assessments in his Tel Aviv office, with security officials. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant joined the meeting remotely after his mother passed away early in the morning, and his was in mourning with his family.
Despite efforts by Egyptian mediators to secure a ceasefire. An Israeli official said late on Thursday, that no agreement has been reached and the fighting would continue.
Israeli sources said Iran was preventing the PIJ from accepting Israel's terms for a ceasefire and warned that any such agreement would indicate the Iran-backed faction would be collaborating with the Israeli enemy.
Meanwhile in Tel Aviv, a rock concert was held in the city park, bringing tens of thousands to hear local star Aviv Geffen. "No one can silence us," the rocker said from the stage in the open-air arena, causing dismay among some over the perceived danger should rockets target Israel's main metropolis.
Aviv Geffen in Tel Aviv concert
He vowed dedicated songs to the residents of the south and vowed to perform for them soon.
At the start of the performance, security measures were announced on the screens in the arena, telling the audience what precautions to take if a siren warns of incoming fire. Some ticket holders from southern communities said they had tried to be refunded for their purchase but were met with the production's refusals.
Israel launched the latest campaign against Gaza dubbing it Operation Shield and Arrow to take out the leadership of the PIJ. Since it began, seven senior commanders of the Islamist group were killed in targeted attacks and more were killed when they were attempting to launch rockets.
However, the faction succeeded in launching at least 1,000 rockets over two days: 600 on Wednesday, and at least 400 on Thursday. According to the IDF, one in five rockets launched, fell short of the border, causing civilian casualties.
The PIJ called on Gazans to go to their roofs at 9 pm to see rocket barrages launched at Israel. Cheers were heard as dozens of rockets left their launchers, targeting the south and reaching as far north as Tel Aviv's close neighbors to the south, Holon and Rishon LeZion. No injuries were reported in that attack.
Special security measures remain in place in the south while schools will be closed in cities further north, impacted by the attacks, while civilian air traffic was diverted to the north to avoid rocket fire and in order not to disrupt the missions of military aircraft.