Israel reports rocket fire from Gaza as Tel Aviv expands offensive

By Zein Khalil

JERUSALEM (AA) – Israel reported rocket fire from the Gaza Strip on Sunday amid a deadly offensive on the besieged Palestinian enclave.

Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said a missile launched toward the illegal settlement of Re’im near the Gaza border was intercepted.

No injuries or damage were reported.

On Saturday, the Israeli army expanded its ground and air attacks across the Gaza Strip amid a brutal offensive that killed more than 35,000 people since last October following a Hamas attack that killed nearly 1,200 people.

More than seven months into the conflict, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). An interim ruling in January said it is "plausible" that Tel Aviv is committing genocide in Gaza, ordering it to stop such acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

South Africa on Friday asked the ICJ to order Israel to withdraw from the southern city of Rafah, where more than 1.5 million displaced people have been sheltered, as part of additional emergency measures over the war.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi