Violence continued to escalate between Israelis and Palestinians on Thursday when both sides conducted rocket and airstrikes after a deadly Israeli raid.
Palestinian militants launched rockets from Gaza into southern Israel early on Thursday, prompting a retaliatory strike from Israeli aircraft on military targets in north and central Gaza, according to the Associated Press. Neither attack resulted in injuries or deaths, authorities said.
In response to the rockets fired from Gaza, IAF fighter jets struck both a weapons manufacturing site and military compound belonging to the Hamas Terrorist Organization, located in central and northern Gaza.1/3 pic.twitter.com/625A9zCzn1
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) February 23, 2023
The latest spat was triggered by an Israeli raid in the West Bank, which led to a gunfight and the deaths of 11 Palestinians on Wednesday. Israel’s new right-wing government, led by returning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has increased the frequency of raids and expanded settlements in occupied parts of the West Bank.
The United States has condemned settlement expansion taking place in recent weeks, including supporting a United Nations condemnation and directly appealing to Israeli officials to cease. There are no signs of the new settlements slowing down, though.
“We have a clear policy: to strike terror powerfully and to deepen our roots in our land,” Netanyahu said to his cabinet ministers. “We will settle accounts with whoever harms Israeli citizens.”
Hamas said Thursday its patience was “running out,” while Islamic Jihad promised further retaliation. (RELATED: After Mass Shooting, Israel Moves To Expand Civilian Access To Guns)
Israeli security forces Have killed dozens of Palestinians this year, according to the Associated Press, while Palestinian attackers have killed at least 11 Israelis, including seven in a mass shooting outside a synagogue in January.