Israel attacks Gaza because, well, it's Thursday

Israel continues to commit atrocities against Palestinians in the Occupied Territories. | Photo: Reuters

Hamas has not launched a rocket since Summer of last year, according to Times of Israel. Nevertheless, Israel launched an airstrike on Gaza today targeting a Hamas facility in response to a rocket Tel Aviv claims was launched by Hamas militants.

This would not be the first time Israel launches an attack on Gaza based on false claims, such as those it made last year to justify their indiscriminate 51-day attack on the coastal Palestinian enclave.

According to preliminary reports, the Israeli attack on an alleged Hamas weapons factory did not cause any victims.

Israel claims Hamas launched a rocket into an open field in southern Israel. The rocket caused no victims nor damages.

Hamas has denied launching any rockets since the end of the Israeli disproportionate attacks of last Summer, that left over 2,300 Palestinians dead, most of whom were civilians. More than 450 were children. Also, 11,000 Palestinians were injured, including 3,000 children. More than 20,000 homes were destroyed and 500,000 people displaced in Gaza.

Reuters said that Salafi jihadist groups that support al-Qaida's calls for a global holy war have claimed most of the sporadic rocket strikes on Israel from the Gaza Strip since the end of Israel's attacks on the enclave last year.

But, Israel insists on holding Hamas accountable for all attacks from Gaza.

Over 20 days ago, after a rocket hit southern Israel, Israeli planes bombed a Hamas training camp, wounding four security men, Reuters added. A small Salafi group said it had launched the rocket into southern Israel.

The news website Times of Israel said, “It was not clear who was responsible for the rocket attack (in southern Israel.) It was unlikely that it was orchestrated by Hamas, which has refrained from firing at Israel since the conclusion of 2014’s summer war. Sporadic rocket fire over recent months has largely been the work of small Salafi groups chafing under Hamas rule.”

The Israeli airstrike comes two days after Israeli settlers attacked a Palestine family in the West Bank. Four people, including three children, were injured.

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