Rocket fired from Gaza, explodes en route to Israel

Projectile breaks apart in mid-air, army says, and does not cause injury or damage

By ToI Staff 23 July 2017, 5:31 am

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Illustrative: Palestinian missiles are fired from Gaza City toward Israel following Israeli airstrikes on July 17, 2014. (AFP/Thomas Coex)

Palestinians in the northern Gaza Strip fired a rocket at the Ahskelon coast region in southern Israel early Sunday morning, the IDF said.

“The rocket exploded mid-air,” the army said in a statement, and no injuries or damage were reported.

The rocket alert siren was not activated because the explosion occurred relatively early in the rocket’s flight, officials said.

The attempted attack came amid escalating violence in Jerusalem and the West Bank, where past tensions have often led to conflagrations in the Strip.

At least two Palestinians were killed Saturday in clashes as demonstrations continued against the installation of metal detectors at the Temple Mount.

The metal detectors were installed after three Arab Israelis shot dead two Israeli police officers just outside the Temple Mount compound on July 14 using guns they had smuggled into the holy site.

Saturday’s violence came a day after three Palestinians were killed in clashes. Palestinian medical officials said all three died of gunshot wounds. Israel said it was investigating the reports.

Later Friday, a Palestinian terrorist stabbed to death three family members at their Shabbat dinner table in the Halamish settlement in the West Bank.