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Palestinian militants fired hundreds of rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israel on Wednesday, as Israel pressed ahead with a series of airstrikes that killed 23 Palestinians, including three senior militants and at least 10 civilians.
Egypt’s state-run TV station announced that Egypt, which acted as a mediator between the parties, had brokered a ceasefire. But ceasefire efforts appeared to have stalled as fighting escalated late Wednesday, with neither side showing signs of backing down.
Early Thursday, the Israeli military said it carried out airstrikes against Islamic Jihad militant group targets in Gaza.
According to Palestinian media reports, the attack targeted a building in a residential complex in the southern Gaza Strip, killing at least two people, including an Islamic Jihad commander.
The Israeli military did not elaborate and there was no comment from the militant group about the latest airstrikes on the Qatar-built complex.
‘This round is not over yet’
In a prime-time TV address, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that Israel had dealt the militants a heavy blow. But he warned: “This round is not over yet.”
“We speak to the terrorists and those who send them. We see you everywhere. You cannot hide, and we choose the place and the time to attack you,” he said, adding that Israel will also decide if it is calm returned.
Throughout the day, rockets fired air raid sirens in southern and central Israel, about 80 kilometers away.
Residents have been bracing for an attack since Israel launched its first airstrikes on Tuesday.
It was the heaviest fighting between the sides in months, pushing the region closer to full-scale war.
But in a sign that both sides were trying to show restraint, Israel avoided attacks on the organization of the militant group Hamas, targeting only small and more militant Islamic jihad factions. Hamas, meanwhile, appears to remain on the sidelines.
Egypt pushes for ceasefire
Late Wednesday, Egypt’s Extra News television channel, which has close ties to Egypt’s security agencies, said it had established a ceasefire. Egyptian intelligence often mediates between Israeli and Palestinian militants.
Israeli officials insist that Egypt is trying to facilitate a ceasefire. Speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss behind-the-scenes diplomacy, he said Israel would assess the situation based on actions on the ground, not declarations.
Islamic Jihad says it will continue to fire rockets. Mohamad al-Hindi, an official with the group, said the sticking point in the talks was that the Palestinians wanted Israel’s commitment to stop targeted killing operations, such as the one that killed three top Islamic Jihad commanders early Tuesday.
As the rocket streaked across the sky, an Israeli TV station showed an air defense system intercepting the rocket above the Tel Aviv skyline. In the nearby suburb of Ramat Gan, people sank to the ground as they hid.
The Israeli military said that for the first time, an air defense system known as David’s Sling intercepted a rocket. The system, developed with the US, is intended to intercept medium-range threats and is part of a multi-layered air defense that also includes the more famous Iron Dome anti-missile system. Israeli media said previous attempts to use the system several years ago had failed.
In a move that could increase tensions, Israeli police said they would allow Jewish ultranationalist parades to take place next week. The parade, intended to celebrate Israel’s capture of east Jerusalem and Jewish holy sites, marches through the heart of the Old City’s Muslim Quarter and often causes friction with local Palestinians.
Israeli officials said more than 400 rockets had been fired by Wednesday evening. Most, he said, were intercepted or fell in open areas, but Israeli Defense Minister Yoava Gallant said about a quarter had misfired and landed in Gaza.
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