Tensions reignited late Sunday as the Palestinian resistance group Hamas fired a wave of rockets at southern Israel in retaliation for Israeli military operations in the occupied territories.
According to reports, at least ten rockets were launched from Gaza, with most intercepted by Israel’s air defense systems. One rocket made a direct impact in the city of Ashkelon, where emergency responders treated at least one person injured by shrapnel.
Read more: Paramedic claims Israeli troops fired on emergency vehicles in Gaza
Videos circulating online captured the aftermath in Ashkelon, showing damaged vehicles, broken glass scattered across roads, and sirens echoing through the night.
Meanwhile, health officials in Gaza reported that at least 39 people lost their lives on the same day due to Israeli airstrikes, as violence continues to intensify across the region.
Following the rocket barrage, the Israeli military ordered the evacuation of parts of Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza, urging residents to flee immediately. The army later announced it had located and destroyed the rocket launcher responsible for the attack.
Israeli news outlets stated that at least 12 individuals sustained minor injuries during the strikes and were being treated at Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon.
This latest escalation threatens the fragile ceasefire that was established on January 19 after over a year of conflict. That agreement had temporarily paused hostilities and included the release of Israeli hostages by Hamas and Palestinian detainees by Israel. However, on March 19, Israel resumed ground operations, citing failed negotiations, with both parties accusing each other of breaching the truce.
Since the war began in 2023—triggered by a Hamas-led assault on southern Israel that resulted in 1,200 deaths—more than 50,000 Palestinians have reportedly been killed in Gaza.
