Israel hits Gaza Strip after rocket barrage

GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories—Israel carried out a major wave of strikes across the Gaza Strip overnight in response to some 150 rockets fired at its territory, leaving three Palestinians including a toddler dead in another severe flare-up of violenc

Most of the rockets fired by Palestinian militants landed in open areas, but at least two hit the Israeli town of Sderot near the Gaza Strip and sirens sounded throughout the night, sending residents to bomb shelters.

Medics reported at least four wounded taken to Israeli hospitals, including a 30-year-old Thai woman in moderate to severe condition.

Those killed in the Gaza Strip included Enas Khammash, 23, and her 18-month-old daughter Bayan, according to the health ministry in the Hamas- controlled enclave.

They were killed in an airstrike in Jafarawi in central Gaza, the ministry said, while her husband was injured. The ministry said Khammash was also pregnant.

A Hamas militant was also killed in the strikes and at least 12 others injured, the health ministry said.

It was the third severe flare-up of violence since July and came despite attempts by UN officials and Egypt to secure a longterm truce between Israel and Hamas.

The three flare-ups, which follow months of tensions due to protests and clashes along the Gaza border, have raised fears of a fourth war between the two sides since 2008.

Israel’s military said it targeted more than 140 Hamas “military sites”, including military compounds and weapons manufacturing sites for the Islamist movement.

It said Israel was targeted with around 150 rockets from late Wednesday into Thursday. Twenty-five of them were intercepted by air defense systems, according to the army.

Smoke plumes and fireballs could be seen over the Gaza Strip as the strikes were being carried out.

The military said it was “determined to secure the safety of the citizens of Israel and is on high alert and prepared for a wide variety of scenarios.”

A statement from the military wing of Hamas claimed responsibility for the rockets.

AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE A member of Hamas' military police walks through rubble at a site that was hit by Israeli air strikes in Gaza City.