Security Source: Hamas May Use Rockets to Beat Netanyahu

At least one aborted rocket was fired at Israel from Gaza Motzoei Shabbos, as Hamas continued its weekly weekend rioting at the Gaza border fence. The rocket was fired from the southern Gaza strip and blew up over Gaza. Residents of border fence communities said they heard several explosions on Motzoei Shabbos.

Channel 20 on Motzoei Shabbos quoted a senior security source as saying that it was quite possible Israel would see more rocket attacks in the coming days, as Hamas attempts to tamper with the Israeli elections. “We are taking into account the possibility that they will fire rockets to influence the election,” the source said, adding, “It’s clear to everyone that Hamas and Islamic Jihad want to push Netanyahu out of office.”

Meanwhile, despite efforts in recent days to calm the situation and progress claimed by Egyptian negotiators towards that goal, the border fence riot on Friday included over 10,000 Gaza Arabs who threw rocks and firebombs at Israeli soldiers. Dozens of terror balloons were seen in the skies over southern Israel on Shabbos. Riots continued on Shabbos, and on both days Israeli forces used anti-riot measures against the mobs. At least 90 rioters were injured.

Hamas terror leader Yahya Sinwar said at a gathering of Hamas terrorists that “in the next round of violence, Israel will suffer. I promise you that they will be forced to evacuate not only towns near the border, but also Ashdod, Ashkelon and Tel Aviv. Our fingers will remain on the trigger.”

Efforts were also underway to prevent a planned hunger strike by Hamas terrorists in Israeli prisons. Some 1,400 terrorist prisoners planned to stop eating food Sunday, although they will continue drinking liquids. The terrorists – among them the terrorists who blew up the Park Hotel in Netanya on Seder night in 2002 – are demanding that prisons remove blocks on cellular reception imposed several weeks ago to prevent the use of cellphones in cells. If their demands are not met, the terrorists have threatened not to drink water either. According to Channel 12 news, dozens of terrorists have made wills to be given to their families in case they die of starvation.

It should be noted that it is illegal for terrorists to have such phones in the first place. Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan said that security forces in the prisons would be increased, and doctors and paramedics would be deployed to assist any terrorist who took ill on site, instead of taking them to hospitals.