Overnight Overview: Gazan Rockets Pound Israeli Civilian Targets; IAF Retaliates

Gazan terrorists fired five rockets during the early evening hours yesterday (Jun. 24) at southern Israel, sending tens of thousands of civilians running into bomb shelters in the highly populated Ashkelon area. Two of the rockets were intercepted by the Iron Dome anti-rocket system. No injuries or damage were reported.

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) retaliated by attacking seven terror targets in the Gaza Strip, including five hidden launching pads. An IDF spokesman announced that the IDF holds Hamas responsible for all terror activity emanating from the Gaza Strip, and will continue to operate with decisiveness to protect the State of Israel.

A three-year-old girl from Gaza was killed after a rocket fired at Israel failed to hit its target and landed on her home in Gaza, this according to Palestinian medical sources. Four members of the girl's family were injured after the rocket landed on their house in Beit Lahia, in northern Gaza. The four were evacuated to a hospital.

For more than a week, Gazan terrorists have continuously fired rockets at Israel. Over 20 rockets have been fired at Israel since the beginning of Operation ‘Brother's Keeper’ to find the three abducted boys Eyal Yifrach, Gil-Ad Shaer and Naftali Frenkel. Over 200 have been fired since the beginning of the 2014. Since Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, terrorists have fired more than 8,000 rockets into Israel. Over 3.5 million Israelis are currently living under threat of rocket attacks.

“We have repeatedly addressed the consequences facing those who seek to endanger the lives of innocent civilians,” IDF Spokesperson Lt. Col. Peter Lerner recently said in response to the attacks. “Iron Dome’s success does not change the absurd fact that Israelis have been living under continuous rocket threat for multiple years. We shall persist with our determination to combat terror elements and eliminate the pending threat to Israeli lives.”