Islamist-Palestinians fired a rocket from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip toward Israel’s southern communities in overnight violence.
Air raid sirens blared around 2:30 AM in the city of Sderot. Some 28,000 residents were forced to seek refuge in bomb shelters within the fifteen second period of safety advised by the IDF Home Front Command.
The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit confirmed to TV7 that “one projectile was fired from the Gaza Strip toward Israeli territory,” which“was intercepted by the Iron Dome (anti-rocket Defense) System.” No injuries or damage were reported in the attack. In retaliation, the source said “IDF fighter jets struck a Hamas weapons manufacturing site in the northern Gaza Strip.”
The Israeli military reiterated that “The IDF holds the Hamas terror organization responsible for events transpiring in the Gaza Strip and emanating from it,” while underscoring “Hamas will bear the consequences for actions against Israeli civilians.”
In further official response, Israel’s military’s Coordinator for Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), Maj.-Gen. Kamil Abu Rukun announced this morning (December 19) that the fishing zone off Gaza’s coast has been “reduced to 10 nautical miles” from shore “until further notice.”
It is important to note that last night’s rocket fire came less than two days after Israel authorized the transfer of equipment from Qatar into the Hamas-controlled territory for the first time in 20 years. The shipment included 22 firefighting vehicles, a large truck, several 4-wheel drives, motorcycles and 4 water pumps destined for use by the Hamas-run Civil Defense Agency. Doha’s envoy Mohammed Al-Emadi visited Gaza during this week’s observance of at Qatar’s National Day to oversee delivery of the items, all of which he said were donated by “Prince, His Highness, Sheikh Mohammed Al Thani,” before adding “God bless him.”
In an effort to ease economic hardship and help reduce tensions along the border with Israel, Qatar has provided more than $150 million to Gaza so far this year. The humanitarian assistance included the purchase of fuel for the Strip’s sole power plant, in addition to monthly handouts to nearly 70,000 of the cash-strapped residents.
The envoy from the gas-rich Gulf state said that the future provision of aid to Gaza is “positively” under current review, but confirmed a continuation for “the first quarter of 2020.”