BICOM

The situation between Israel and the Hamas enclave in Gaza has continued to deteriorate in the last 24 hours. Exchanges of fire between Hamas and Israeli forces, which began after Hamas launched a sudden barrage of rockets and mortar shells at Israel last Saturday, have now escalated into the most serious confrontation between Israel and Hamas since Operation Cast Lead in Gaza in 2008/9.

On Tuesday afternoon, Gaza militants fired four mortars at Kibbutz Alumim and Kibbutz Sa’ad. In response, the IDF returned fire on the suspected launch site. Four Palestinian civilians were killed when an Israeli mortar shell hit a house near the area. The IDF expressed regret at the civilian casualties. As the evening progressed, Gaza militants continued to fire mortar shells and a Grad-type Katyusha rocket at Ashkelon.

This morning Gaza militants have fired seven mortar shells at the Eshkol region of the western Negev and another at the Sha’ar Hanegev area. The attacks followed another Grad fired from Gaza that exploded south of the coastal city of Ashdod. Israeli forces responded to the attack on Ashdod by firing at figures in a suspected rocket launching zone in Gaza, one person was reportedly killed.

Also this morning, Palestinian militant groups have launched two Grad rockets at the southern city of Beersheva and a barrage of mortar shells on the western Negev. The first rocket hit a residential district, and a piece of shrapnel penetrated an apartment moderately wounding one man. The second hit an open area in the city. A number of people were treated for shock in both incidents. Beersheva’s schools are closed this morning because of the attacks.

Since Tuesday afternoon, in total at least nine Palestinians, including four civilians, have been killed over the course of heavy exchanges of fire between the IDF and militants in the Gaza Strip. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his regret at the death of the civilians, and has castigated Hamas for ‘using citizens as human shields.’

An analysis of the Gaza events in today’s Haaretz newspaper concludes that what began as a ‘local escalation’ is currently turning into a broader confrontation with its own momentum. Israeli military officials reiterated again yesterday that Israel has no interest in an escalation of the clashes. The Hamas authorities in Gaza apparently sought to orchestrate a certain escalation, as a distraction away from its crushing of internal dissent in Gaza. However, as casualties mount and the situation continues to escalate, events may acquire their own momentum.

Further reading: BICOM Briefing: escalation in Gaza