GAZA CITY – Palestinian militant group Hamas today said it has fired more than 200 rockets into Israel in retaliation for strikes on a tower block in Gaza.
The armed branch of Hamas in a statement said it is “in the process of firing 110 rockets towards the city of Tel Aviv” and 100 towards the southern town of Beersheva “as reprisal for the restarting of strikes against civilian homes”.
Sirens rang out in both places shortly after the announcement, according to the Israel Defence Forces, which added that families in Tel Aviv were woken up and rushed to bomb shelters.
Hamas previously reported the destruction of a nine-storey building in the centre of Gaza, the Israeli-blockaded enclave they control.
“Significant damage was caused to the tower and its neighbouring buildings,” said Hamas channel Al-Aqsa TV.
Witnesses said several missiles struck the building, containing homes, businesses and a local TV station.
The latest salvo of rocket fire follows one earlier in the evening, also towards Tel Aviv, which killed one person on the outskirts of the city.
Since Monday, three Israelis have been killed and dozens of others injured in rocket strikes from the Gaza Strip.
At least 32 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli strikes on the enclave, including 10 children, and more than 220 injured, said local authorities.
The United Nations envoy for Middle East peace, Tor Wennesland, warned that Israel and Hamas are “escalating towards a full-scale war”. – AFP, May 12, 2021
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