Israeli air strikes across Gaza border follow militant rocket attacks

Israel and militants in Gaza exchanged fire on Thursday, hours after a raid in the West Bank city of Nablus left 11 Palestinians dead, militants and innocent civilians.

In a predawn rocket barrage six projectiles were fired towards southern Israel. Five were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome air defence system and the other landed in an open area. No one was hurt.

In response, Israeli jets hit a Hamas weapons workshop in central Gaza as well as a site in the northern part of the Strip used by Hamas to store naval weapons, according to an Israeli military spokesperson, who claimed “the strike deals a serious blow to Hamas’s ability to fortify and arm itself”.

There were no reports of injuries, even though the target was in the middle of a built-up area.

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Both Hamas and the Islamic Jihad had called for revenge after the Nablus raid where more than 100 people were injured, one of the deadliest clashes in recent memory, but neither group claimed responsibility for the Gaza rocket fire.

[ Israeli raid in West Bank kills at least 10 ]

A few hours after the Gaza exchange of fire, a Palestinian woman was shot and wounded after trying to stab a security guard close to the Jerusalem area West Bank settlement of Ma’ale Adumim.

US state department spokesperson Ned Price said Washington was concerned that the Nablus clash could spark a security deterioration.

“We recognise the very real security concerns facing Israel. At the same time, we’re deeply concerned by large number of injuries and loss of civilian lives,” Mr Price said. “We had productive conversations in recent days with the parties and US regional partners in support of efforts to prevent further violence. We are deeply concerned that the impact of today’s raid could set back efforts aimed at restoring calm for both Israelis and Palestinians.”

United Nations Middle East envoy Tor Wennesland travelled to Gaza on Thursday for talks with Hamas leaders in an effort to diffuse tensions. “I urge all sides to refrain from steps that could further inflame an already volatile situation,” he said.

The Nablus clash came after tentative signs that Israel and the Palestinian Authority, with US mediation, had taken steps to ease tensions ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan next month.

Israel agreed not to establish any new West Bank settlements in the coming months and to limit visits by Jews during Ramadan to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s old city, revered by Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif noble sanctuary and the site of the Al-Aqsa mosque.

In return the Palestinians agreed to withdraw a draft resolution at the United Nations security council condemning Israel over its decision to legalise settler outposts and build new homes in the settlements.

It remains to be seen if Thursday’s rocket fire marks the end of the Palestinian response to the Nablus clash, described as a “massacre” by the Palestinian Authority, or the start of yet another round of escalation between the sides.