Dozens of rockets were fired from the blockaded Gaza Strip towards Israel on Saturday, journalist in the Palestinian territory said, as sirens warning of incoming fire blared in Israel, says in foreign media. The rocket fire was launched from multiple locations in Gaza starting at 6:30am (3:30am GMT). The Israeli army warned of sirens across the country’s south and central areas for more than an hour, urging the public to stay near bomb shelters. The military also said a “number of terrorists have infiltrated into Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip”, without providing further information.

A 70-year-old woman was in critical condition and another person was trapped after a rocket hit a building in central Israel, the Magen David Adom emergency services said. In a separate incident, medics said a 20-year-old man was hurt moderately from shrapnel. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the premier will shortly convene security chiefs over the violence. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the rocket fire.

More than 5,000 rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel on Saturday, Hamas’ armed wing said, declaring it had started “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood”. “We decided to put an end to all the crimes of the occupation (Israel), their time for rampaging without being held accountable is over,” the group said. “We announce Operation Al-Aqsa Flood and we fired, in the first strike of 20 minutes, more than 5,000 rockets. “

Israel has imposed a crippling blockade on Gaza since 2007 after the Hamas militant group took power. Palestinian militants and Israel have fought several devastating wars since. The latest fire follows a period of heightened tensions in September when Israel closed the border to Gazan workers for two weeks. The shutdown of the crossing came as Palestinian protests rocked the heavily-militarised border.

Protesters had resorted to burning tyres and throwing rocks and petrol bombs at Israeli troops, who responded with tear gas and live bullets. Critics had slammed the border closure as collective punishment against thousands of Palestinian workers, who have far greater earning potential in Israel than Gaza, where unemployment is rife.

 Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)