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| Rocket fired from Gaza hits house in Israel, wounding seven | Rocket fired from Gaza hits house in Israel, wounding seven |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A rocket fired from the Gaza Strip has hit a house north of Tel Aviv, wounding several members of a British-Israeli family and prompting Benjamin Netanyahu to cut short a trip to the US. | |
| The Israeli prime minister vowed to “respond forcefully” to the strike – a rare long-range launch that overflew Israel’s commercial capital of Tel Aviv – suggesting a major retaliation. The army said later it was reinforcing troops along the Gaza frontier and calling up reserves. | The Israeli prime minister vowed to “respond forcefully” to the strike – a rare long-range launch that overflew Israel’s commercial capital of Tel Aviv – suggesting a major retaliation. The army said later it was reinforcing troops along the Gaza frontier and calling up reserves. |
| “I nearly lost my family,” said Robert Wolf, from London, outside his ruined home in Israel. “If we hadn’t got to the bomb shelter in time I would now be burying all my family”. | |
| Wolf was at home with his wife, Susan, who suffered shrapnel wounds, as well as two of their children, their daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren, five months old and two years old. Seven people in total were injured, authorities said without naming them. None of those injuries is believed to be life-threatening. | |
| “They would all be dead if we didn’t do what we were supposed to do,” Wolf added. | |
| With a general election two weeks away, Netanyahu has been under pressure to show he can end the regular rocket launches from the strip. Widespread and frequent Israeli bombardments of Gaza, three full-scale wars with its rulers, Hamas, and a punishing decade-long blockade on the territory have all failed to stop the violence. | With a general election two weeks away, Netanyahu has been under pressure to show he can end the regular rocket launches from the strip. Widespread and frequent Israeli bombardments of Gaza, three full-scale wars with its rulers, Hamas, and a punishing decade-long blockade on the territory have all failed to stop the violence. |
| Monday’s projectile destroyed the Wolfs’ residential home in the community of Mishmeret. Israel’s national emergency service, the Magen David Adom, said it had treated two women who were moderately wounded, while two children and an infant, had minor wounds. | |
| Residents of the Sharon area, north-east of Tel Aviv, were awakened by the sound of air raid sirens shortly after 5am. Locals fled to bomb shelters and an explosion followed. | Residents of the Sharon area, north-east of Tel Aviv, were awakened by the sound of air raid sirens shortly after 5am. Locals fled to bomb shelters and an explosion followed. |
| Police shared photos of the destroyed family home, with roof tiles scattered on the ground and walls pock-marked, cracked or missing. One photo showed a wooden baby crib, encased in mangled metal roads and yellow roof insulation. Behind it, several picture frames remain on the walls. Another image displayed a yellow and red child’s car toy among the smashed ruins. | Police shared photos of the destroyed family home, with roof tiles scattered on the ground and walls pock-marked, cracked or missing. One photo showed a wooden baby crib, encased in mangled metal roads and yellow roof insulation. Behind it, several picture frames remain on the walls. Another image displayed a yellow and red child’s car toy among the smashed ruins. |
| The family dog was killed at impact. | |
| Netanyahu, in Washington to meet Donald Trump, held emergency consultations with military officials back in Israel. After meeting the president on Monday, he will fly back, cancelling a planned address at a conference held by the US pro-Israel lobby Aipac, as well as meetings with congressional leaders. | |
| “There has been a criminal attack on the state of Israel and we will respond forcefully,” he said, “In a few hours I will meet with President Trump. I will return to Israel immediately afterward.” | “There has been a criminal attack on the state of Israel and we will respond forcefully,” he said, “In a few hours I will meet with President Trump. I will return to Israel immediately afterward.” |
| Gaza’s Hamas leaders have apparently gone underground. Witnesses reported seeing Hamas evacuating its personnel from government premises. Hamas also announced that its Gaza chief, Yehiya Sinwar, had cancelled a scheduled public speech. Israel, which imposes a land, air and sea blockade on Gaza, shut down its main cargo crossing into the strip. | Gaza’s Hamas leaders have apparently gone underground. Witnesses reported seeing Hamas evacuating its personnel from government premises. Hamas also announced that its Gaza chief, Yehiya Sinwar, had cancelled a scheduled public speech. Israel, which imposes a land, air and sea blockade on Gaza, shut down its main cargo crossing into the strip. |
| Monday’s attack came 10 days after rockets were fired from Gaza toward Tel Aviv, the first such attack since the 2014 war. Hamas first denied responsibility for the attack and then said the rockets were fired accidentally. Israel retaliated with airstrikes. | Monday’s attack came 10 days after rockets were fired from Gaza toward Tel Aviv, the first such attack since the 2014 war. Hamas first denied responsibility for the attack and then said the rockets were fired accidentally. Israel retaliated with airstrikes. |
| There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Monday’s attack. | There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Monday’s attack. |
| Tensions in Gaza have risen over Israel’s lethal response to a year of weekly protests, in which more than 180 Palestinian haven been killed and thousands more shot by Israeli soldiers who UN investigators say may have committed war crimes. The anniversary of those protests is on Saturday, further adding to fears of escalating violence. | Tensions in Gaza have risen over Israel’s lethal response to a year of weekly protests, in which more than 180 Palestinian haven been killed and thousands more shot by Israeli soldiers who UN investigators say may have committed war crimes. The anniversary of those protests is on Saturday, further adding to fears of escalating violence. |
| Often following especially bloody days at the Gaza demonstrations, militants in the enclave have fired projectiles into surrounding areas, to which Israel responds with bombing raids. However, Monday’s attack travelled much further and it was not immediately clear why it was launched. | Often following especially bloody days at the Gaza demonstrations, militants in the enclave have fired projectiles into surrounding areas, to which Israel responds with bombing raids. However, Monday’s attack travelled much further and it was not immediately clear why it was launched. |
| Netanyahu, who is fighting for reelection in a tight race, has been under pressure from more bellicose Israeli politicians, including his own parliamentary allies, who criticise his response to regular bouts of fighting with Hamas as too light-handed. | Netanyahu, who is fighting for reelection in a tight race, has been under pressure from more bellicose Israeli politicians, including his own parliamentary allies, who criticise his response to regular bouts of fighting with Hamas as too light-handed. |
| Why Israel is quietly cosying up to Gulf monarchies | Why Israel is quietly cosying up to Gulf monarchies |
| “The reality in which Hamas turned Israel into a hostage is unprecedented and unfathomable,” his main challenger and former army chief, Benny Gantz, wrote on Twitter. | “The reality in which Hamas turned Israel into a hostage is unprecedented and unfathomable,” his main challenger and former army chief, Benny Gantz, wrote on Twitter. |
| “Israel’s deterrence has collapsed, and it has to be said in all honesty Netanyahu has failed against Hamas,” said far-right education minister Naftali Bennett, the head of the New Right faction in Netanyahu’s coalition. | “Israel’s deterrence has collapsed, and it has to be said in all honesty Netanyahu has failed against Hamas,” said far-right education minister Naftali Bennett, the head of the New Right faction in Netanyahu’s coalition. |
| The Associated Press contributed to this report | The Associated Press contributed to this report |
| Israel | Israel |
| Gaza | Gaza |
| Middle East and North Africa | Middle East and North Africa |
| Palestinian territories | Palestinian territories |
| news | news |
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