The Jewish state launched airstrikes against Lebanon and Gaza on April 7 in retaliation for rocket attacks on its territory, which it blamed on the Islamist group Hamas. The violence is spreading and at least two women have been killed after a Palestinian opened fire in the West Bank. In addition, tensions continue at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, where the Israel Police raided for the second time in less than a week.
A Good Friday marked by the largest escalation of violence in years between Israel and some of its neighbors.
In the early hours of this April 7, Israeli planes launched bombardments against Lebanon and Gaza, which according to their version were directed at sites belonging to Palestinian militant groups.
These airstrikes occurred after on Thursday, dozens of rockets, were fired against the south and north of the Israeli territory, attacks that the local authorities attributed to the Hamas group, which controls the Gaza Strip, and which would be operating in Lebanon with the approval of Hezbollah.
“It’s not Hezbollah firing, but it’s hard to believe he didn’t know,” said Tamir Hayman, a former head of Israeli military intelligence.
At least 34 devices were launched from Lebanon and another 25 from Gaza, pointed out the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), which indicated that in response their aircraft hit various “targets” of the Islamist movement.
“The IDF attacked targets, including Hamas-owned terror infrastructure in southern Lebanon. The IDF will not allow the Hamas terrorist organization to operate from inside Lebanon and will hold the State of Lebanon responsible for every fire that emanates from its territory,” the Israeli institution said in a message posted on its Twitter account.
Over the last couple of hours, 34 rockets were fired from Lebanon at Northern Israel, putting innocent lives in danger.
The Israeli government will take all necessary measures to defend its citizens against acts of violence! pic.twitter.com/MRNIzQi9X0
—David Saranga (@DavidSaranga) April 6, 2023
In an unprecedented action for 16 years, at least three explosions were recorded in the Tire region, in the south of Lebanese territory. Two of these projectiles fell near the Rashidiyeh refugee camp, which welcomes people from Palestinian territories and is located near the city of the same name, reported AFP agency reporters.
A third device fell on the home of a farmer near the camp, causing material damage, added a correspondent in the area.
Hezbollah’s pro-Iranian television station Al-Manar said the bombing targeted three areas in southern Lebanon, including the area of the refugee camp.
These events did not leave victims, according to a member of the country’s Civil Defense.
Israel bombs Gaza and Hamas denounces damage to a children’s hospital
Hours earlier, strong explosions rocked different towns in Gaza, when, according to forces in the majority-Jewish country, their airstrikes hit 10 targets, including tunnels and Hamas weapons manufacturing and development sites.
However the Gazan Ministry of Health denounced that the Israeli bombardments caused damage to the Al Durra Children’s Hospitalin the Palestinian enclave.
“The shelling caused a state of confusion and fear among medical personnel, sick children and their companions (…) Is a clear violation of International Humanitarian Law and the Geneva Convention, which stipulates the protection of health institutions and protects them from military attacks,” the Health Ministry said in a statement.
For its part, Hamas responded that it holds the Zionist occupation “fully responsible for the serious escalation and flagrant aggression against the Gaza Strip and for the consequences it will bring to the region.”
From the other side of the border, the warnings continue and threaten to further escalate the conflict.
“We will strike our enemies and they will pay the price for any act of aggression,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared in a televised address.
The cross-border fire registered this Friday is considered the most serious episode of violence between the neighboring territories since the Israeli war in 2006 and threatens to bring the confrontation to a new phase.
Although the Israeli government emphasizes that its assaults only targeted sites of Palestinian militant groups, these actions could draw a possible response from Israel’s staunch enemy Hezbollah, which dominates much of southern Lebanon.
In the past, the A Lebanese Shiite Muslim organization, which has both a political and an armed wing, has declared itself a defender of the Palestinians and the disputed city of Jerusalem.
Tension flares up again at the Al-Aqsa Mosque
Violence in the region extends from different fronts. This Friday, The Al-Aqsa Mosque complex, in Jerusalem, was once again the scene of clashes when the Israeli Police entered for the second time since last Wednesday, April 5.
Chaos erupted at one of the esplanade entrances before dawn prayers when officers stormed the venue as a crowd of Palestinian worshipers chanted slogans praising Hamas.
According to the Israeli version, its security forces entered the holy complex in response to “masked suspects” who threw stones at the officers at one of the gates of the site.
This morning on Temple Mount – Al-Aqsa compound:
Palestinians collect stones at the entrance to Al-Aqsa Mosque, after the morning prayer.
Their intention is to create a violent riot against the Temple Mount visitors in the morning hours and against security forces. pic.twitter.com/PiMx3Qa3yN
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) April 7, 2023
An hour later, people leaving the prayers staged a huge protest in which dozens of Palestinians raised their fists and chanted in support of the Hamas rocket attacks.
These events triggered protests in the Palestinian territories and in Jordan.
The situation was already tense in the area for months, but in recent days it has led to an open spiral of violence and international condemnation of this situation has grown.
Indeed, the cross-border attacks came amid escalating confrontation over Israeli police raids on the Mosque Esplanade, amid the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which this year coincided with the Jewish Passover holiday on Thursday. .
The site has become a powder keg for Israeli-Palestinian tensions, as according to the “status quo” agreement, only Muslims can pray inside the mosque, but that provision is constantly violated by Jewish visitors.
Two Israeli women killed after gun attack in West Bank
Another of the most serious acts of violence in recent hours occurred near an Israeli settlement in the West Bank.
Israeli authorities said at least one Palestinian driving a vehicle in the Jordan Valley allegedly opened fire at a car carrying three women.
Two of them, in their 20s, were killed, while a 45-year-old woman was seriously injured. Medical sources explained that the victims were pulled unconscious from their wrecked car.
Two Israeli women were killed and another seriously wounded Friday in a shooting attack on a vehicle in the occupied West Bank, the Israeli army and medics said.https://t.co/ml2VutShU4
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) April 7, 2023
The Israeli Army assured that it is looking for those responsible for this event, which is why it has installed barricades in the area.
No militant group immediately claimed responsibility. However, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem hailed the attack “in retaliation for the crimes committed by Israel in the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the West Bank.”
Although this is a longstanding conflict, the violence continues to escalate. While movements such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad maintain their rejection of coexistence with Israel, the country with a Jewish majority has entered a new period of government, the most far-right in its history, whose members have openly shown their opposition to the formation of a possible Palestinian state, a request from their neighbors and a crucial point to end the Israeli occupation of nearly seven decades ago.
The Netanyahu Administration has made it clear that it will increase the construction of settlements in territories that its neighbors claim as their own and a greater repression of the Palestinians, citing security reasons.
For now, Israel reinforces its troops near its borders with Lebanon and Gaza and Hezbollah warns that it remains “vigilant.”
With Reuters, AFP, AP and EFE
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