Iron Dome intercepts rockets from Gaza. Credit: IDF, CC BY-SA 3.0.
104 rockets were fired into Israel from Gaza yesterday following the death in custody of an affiliate of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group, following an 86-day hunger strike.
An IDF spokesman said the projectiles included rockets, mortars, and shoulder-launched missiles fired at Israeli aircraft over Gaza.
The Iron Dome air defence system intercepted 90% of the rockets heading for populated areas. Another 14 fell short in Gaza itself and 11 landed in the sea.
At least two rockets landed in populated areas, including one that hit a construction site in the southern city of Sderot and wounded three foreign nationals.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad affiliate Khader Adnan was found unresponsive in his cell in Nitzan prison in Ramla and brought to Shamir Medical Center for resuscitation efforts, but was declared dead at the hospital on Tuesday.
In a statement, PIJ warned that “the occupation will pay the price for [Adnan’s] death. His death will be a lesson for generations. We will not leave this path as long as Palestine remains under occupation”.
Adnan, 45, was arrested in February in the northern West Bank for his suspected membership in a terror group, support for a terrorist organisation, and incitement.
In 2018, Adnan pled guilty to membership of PIJ as part of a plea bargain, one of a number of prior arrests.