IDF: Hamas continuing to fire rockets at Israel from south Gaza ‘humanitarian zone’

Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent

Israelis campaigning for the release of the hostages held in Gaza rush to a shelter as a siren sounds a warning of incoming rockets fired from the Gaza Strip, in Tel Aviv, Dec. 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Israelis campaigning for the release of the hostages held in Gaza rush to a shelter as a siren sounds a warning of incoming rockets fired from the Gaza Strip, in Tel Aviv, Dec. 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

The IDF says Hamas has continued to fire rockets from a “humanitarian zone” established in southern Gaza’s al-Mawasi area.

It says that yesterday at 6 p.m., “Hamas terrorists launched numerous rockets into Israel from the designated humanitarian zone.”

Another four rockets were fired from the al-Mawasi area at 1:56 p.m. and 2:16 p.m., but “landed in the Gaza Strip and endangered many citizens in Gaza,” it says.

“This is further proof that Hamas exploits the IDF’s humanitarian zone for terrorist activity,” the IDF says.

The IDF publishes an illustrative graphic showing the locations of the rocket launches from al-Mawasi, as well as an image showing a rocket launcher.

The humanitarian zone in al-Mawasi is an area designated by the IDF as safe for civilians within the Gaza Strip.

Rocket fire from the Gaza Strip at Israel has continued from other locations of southern and central Gaza in recent days, in areas where the IDF is not operating on the ground.

An image distributed by the IDF explaining Hamas rocket launches from humanitarian zones in south Gaza, released December 9, 2023 (Israel Defense Forces)
An image distributed by the IDF explaining Hamas rocket launches from humanitarian zones in south Gaza, released December 9, 2023 (Israel Defense Forces)

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