TEL AVIV (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th May, 2021) The Israeli army has attacked four apartments of high-ranking members of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, which were used to plan military operations, the Israel Defense Forces press service said on Thursday.
"An Israeli Air Force fighter jet struck an apartment belonging to a deputy commander of Al-Qassam Brigades [Hamas military wing] in the north of the Gaza Strip. In addition, the IDF attacked three apartments belonging to the commanders of the Sajaya and Shabura regiments in the northern part of the Gaza Strip and the commander of the Deir al-Balah regiment in the central area of the enclave. All apartments were used to plan and conduct the recent Hamas attacks," the statement said.
Large-scale clashes broke out from May 7-10 between Palestinians and Israeli police, leading to the sharpest escalation in the Gaza Strip in recent years. Riots began in two areas of East Jerusalem at once - near the Temple Mount and in the Sheikh Jarrah quarter, where several Arab families are being evicted by the Israeli court decision.
Palestinian militants have launched over 1,600 rockets from Gaza toward Israel. The effectiveness of the Israeli missile defense system Iron Dome is estimated at around 90%. Six Israeli civilians and one military man have died since the beginning of the escalation of the conflict. Israel has fired retaliatory strikes against Gaza, attacking about 600 military targets of Hamas and Islamic Jihad. According to the enclave's health ministry, the number of Palestinians killed in three days increased to 83, and 487 people were reportedly injured.
