Israeli army imposed a strict closure, on Friday at dawn, on the Palestinian territories, and shelled several Palestinian civilian targets in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.
Israeli Defense minister Shaul Mofaz decided to impose full closure in the wake of escalation in the security situation and resumption of launching homemade shells, army source reported.
The firing of the Qassam homemade shells renewed in response to the assassination of four Palestinian fighters, members of the popular resistance Committee, on Wednesday, east of Gaza
Israeli military sources claimed that the four were heading to the Karni crossing in the Gaza Strip to carry out a military operation
Also, the army said that one homemade shell, launched from the northern part of the Gaza Strip, exploded in the southern outskirts of the Israeli city of Ashkelon, which is considered a long range for homemade shells.
In a separate incident, soldiers uncovered a warehouse allegedly used for storing arms and ammunition in the West Bank city of Nablus; according to the army the “body” of a homemade shell was also found there.
Israeli media sources reported that soldiers that located a wired vehicle on the way leading to Jerusalem from Hebron.
Moreover, army shelled on Thursday at night thirteen Palestinians targets in the Gaza Strip; army claims that the shelled location were used by the resistance to fire homemade shells at Israeli targets. Tow residents were injured in the attacks.
Seven home made shells were launched from Gaza Strip on northern Israel, no injuries were reported. Israel resumed its air strikes on targets in the north of the Gaza Strip; two residents were injured.
Israeli army officials threatened that if the firing of homemade shells continues over the week end, army will receive the “green light” from the government to raise the level of retaliation.
