9 Palestinians killed as Israel launches fresh airstrikes on Gaza

By Anadolu staff

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) – At least nine Palestinians were killed early Monday in fresh Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, according to local medical sources.

The latest fatalities occurred in a strike targeting a house in the city of Rafah south of Gaza City, they said.

Israeli warplanes also struck several residential buildings in northern and southern Gaza.

Palestinian groups in Gaza meanwhile fired volleys of rockets into southern Israel.

The Palestinian group Hamas said it had fired about 100 rockets toward the coastal city of Ashkelon. One person was wounded when a rocket directly struck an apartment building in the city, said the Magen David Adom ambulance service.

The Islamic Jihad group also said it had fired several rockets towards Tel Aviv.

On Saturday, Hamas launched its biggest attack on Israel in decades, firing thousands of rockets and sending fighters who infiltrated Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip. The group said its attack was in response to Israeli violations in the flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem and increased settler violence.

At least 700 Israelis have been killed and over 2,300 others wounded in the attack, according to the Israeli Health Ministry.

Israel retaliated with a series of airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, killing more than 410 Palestinians and wounding at least 2,300 others.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to use all of Israel’s strength to destroy Hamas’ capabilities and “take revenge for this black day.”