Gaza Terror Group Fires Rockets at Tel Aviv Amid Ceasefire Reports

By Hamodia Staff

YERUSHALAYIM – As a reported ceasefire agreement was supposed to go into effect on Sunday evening, Palestinian terrorists launched rockets from Gaza at targets in central Israel including Tel Aviv and Ben Gurion Airport.

B’chasdei shamayim, only minor injuries have been reported, mostly incurred as people rushed to bomb shelters.

The ceasefire was being delayed due to Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s demands for guarantees from Egyptian mediators on prisoners and ending Israeli strikes in Gaza, according to Al Jazeera, citing unidentified sources.

“A short while ago, the wording of the Egyptian truce agreement was reached, which contains Egypt’s commitment to work towards the release of two prisoners, (Bassem) al-Saadi and (Khalil) Awawdeh,” senior Islamic Jihad member Mohammad al-Hindi said in a statement.

Egypt reportedly agreed to work for the release of Khalil al-Awawda, an Islamic Jihad member who is hunger-striking in protest against his detention by Israel.

The diplomat also said that Egypt will seek the release of PIJ leader Bassam al-Saadi, whose arrest in Jenin last week triggered the current fighting.

The Shin Bet says that in recent months, Saadi “worked even harder to restore PIJ activities, and was behind the creation of a significant military force for the organization in [Shomron] in general and in Jenin in particular.”

“His presence was a significant factor in the radicalization of the organization’s operatives in the field,” the Shin Bet said.

Subsequently, it was reported that Islamic Jihad said they agreed to a Cairo-brokered ceasefire to begin at 11:30 p.m.

A senior Middle East diplomat confirmed the new timeframe to The Times of Israel.

Commenting on the still-fluid situation, the Israeli Home Front Command told the public, “It’s not over until it’s over,” and urged them to remain near protected areas.

“The last rocket can cause damage just like the first rocket,” it said.

According to Channel 12 news, two rockets were intercepted above Tel Aviv and one above Ben Gurion Airport. However, the airports authority said that was inaccurate, and  the airport is functioning as usual.

The Magen David Adom ambulance service says it has not received any reports of direct injuries from the barrage, one of the heaviest since the conflict erupted on Friday.

MDA says it treated several people who were lightly hurt while running to protected areas, as well as a number of people suffering from shock.

A man in the Sdot Hanegev Regional Council has been lightly hurt by shrapnel from a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip, police said

According to police, the man — who required medical attention — lived at a residence for foreign workers, where the rocket struck a courtyard.

Police sappers were on the scene.