Israel bombs Hamas sites in retaliatory Gaza strikes; rocket sirens sound in Sderot
Times of IsraelFeb 02, 2023
The Israeli military said it struck Gaza early on Thursday after intercepting Palestinian rocket fire earlier in the evening, saying it targeted a rocket production workshop run by the Palestinian militant group Hamas. No casualties were reported on either side.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the airstrikes also targeted an alleged chemical production site, saying that it would hold Hamas accountable for any rocket fire coming from Gaza.
These airstrikes show that Israel's defense establishment is prepared to take any action needed to ensure peace for its citizens. Though such a response to Thursday's Jenin raid was already anticipated, connecting events between Gaza and the West Bank is a dangerous precedent that threatens the very existence of the State of Israel.
This is the latest attack that Israeli occupation forces carried out this year, including a deadly raid in Jenin and another airstrike on the Gaza Strip, after they killed more Palestinians last year than in any other calendar year since the Second Intifada. It is Israel that's becoming even more violent while maintaining its 15-year-old unlawful siege of Gaza.
There's a 45% chance that Israel will recognize Palestine by 2070, according to the Metaculus prediction community.