Six rockets were launched between Wednesday and Thursday, around 04:00 AM, from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory, the Iron Dome system intercepted five of the rockets and another fell in an open field. There were no injuries. Alarms were heard in Ashkelon, Sderot, and Israeli communities surrounding the Gaza Strip less than a day after an Israel Defense Forces operation in Nablus in which 11 people were killed; most of them from the "Lion's Den" terrorist group.
In response to the rocket fire, an IDF spokesman reported that Israeli fighter jets struck back shortly after sunrise. The Palestinians reported that Hamas sites in the center and north of the Strip were bombed. During the IDF attack, two anti-aircraft missiles were fired at the Israeli jets, without causing any damage.
The compound is located adjacent to a mosque, medical clinic, hotel, police station and school.2/3 pic.twitter.com/69m7lTZXgk
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) February 23, 2023
Additionally, a Palestinian woman tried to stab security guards at the checkpoint at the entrance to the city of Ma'ale Adumim in the early hours of Thursday morning. The security guards, who were not injured, shot at her and moderately injured her. According to the testimony of the security guards, the terrorist, 27-year-old Fatma Bidr from East Jerusalem, pulled out the knife and was shot in her lower body.
The terrorist and her weapon pic.twitter.com/NEC1OqkJ7W
— Documenting Israel (@israelmuse) February 23, 2023
The compound in the northern Gaza Strip that was attacked by the IDF is used, among other things, to store Hamas naval weapons, and is located near a mosque, a clinic, a school, a hotel, as well as a police station. The IDF stated that "this is further proof that the terrorist organization Hamas places its military assets in the heart of the civilian population. This attack constitutes significant damage to Hamas' ability to strengthen and arm itself in the Gaza Strip."
Hamas spokesman Hazem Kassem said in response: "The brave resistance in the Gaza Strip will always be present to protect our people, as it is the people's shield and sword, and it is following every detail of the Zionist crime against our people and its patience is running out. Our people in all arenas will continue the great revolution despite the massacres of the occupation. The resistance Proves the 'bomb for bomb' equation and that the response to the aggression of the occupation will remain.
After 6 rockets fired at Ashkelon and Sderot, IDF strikes Hamas targets in Gaza. The rocket attack follows a successful Israeli military operation in Nablus on Wednesday. https://t.co/vruB6cMAca via @all_israel_news pic.twitter.com/4nOSin11C8
— Joel C. Rosenberg (@JoelCRosenberg) February 23, 2023
The IDF clarified that it was the Hamas targets that were attacked because the terrorist organization is "the bearer of responsibility in the Gaza Strip, and it is the one that will pay the price for the security violations against the State of Israel." However, the one who seems to be responsible for the rocket fire tonight was actually the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which said: “The blood of the martyrs is not cheap, and we declare an open round with the cowardly enemy."
