Israel warplanes strike Gaza after rocket fire

Hamas disavowed recent rocket fire, blaming fringe groups

Israeli regime warplanes hit Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip early yesterday, allegedly in response to rocket fire from the territory into southern Israel, the regime said.

Hamas said there were no casualties in the strikes.

An Israeli occupation army spokeswoman said the raids were in response to a rocket fired from Gaza which caused no casualties or damage but which evaded Israel’s Iron Dome defence system, triggering an inquiry.

It was the first such fire from Gaza since October 17 when a rocket severely damaged a home in the southern Israeli city of Beersheba, prompting some 20 retaliatory air strikes that killed one Palestinian and the temporary suspension of fuel deliveries to Gaza.

Hamas and its allies disavowed the recent rocket fire blaming fringe groups bent on sabotaging UN and Egyptian efforts to broker a longterm truce in return for a relaxation of Israel’s crippling 11-year blockade of the impoverished territory.