A terrorist rocket that was fired toward Israeli territory fell short and struck inside the Gaza Strip on Monday afternoon, the Israel Defense Forces said.
“The details are under investigation,” the military statement added.
According to reports in Palestinian media, the projectile was launched from the city of Rafah, located in the southernmost part of the Strip.
Following the attempted attack, the IDF “struck the launch site from which the projectile was fired, as well as an additional launch site in the area,” the military announced.
On Feb. 13, a 14-year-old Palestinian was killed in Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip when a terrorist rocket fell short inside the coastal enclave.
Unconfirmed video footage posted to social media showed a projectile striking inside a densely populated area shortly after being launched.
The Israeli military decided on Sunday to “increase military and operational readiness” in the area surrounding the Strip.
The decision on Sunday night came after a situational assessment, the army statement noted, adding that “as of now, there is no change in the instructions for the home front.”
According to the Channel 12 broadcaster, IDF reinforcements were nevertheless deployed to the border on Monday due to suspicions that Hamas terrorists were planning an attack on Israeli forces in the area.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that it is for the government in Jerusalem to decide whether to resume the war in the Gaza Strip or join the second round of talks with Hamas to free additional hostages.
Steve Witkoff, Trump’s Mideast envoy, plans to return to the region this week for talks on extending the current first phase of the ceasefire.
The 42-day first phase of the truce is currently set to end on March 1.
“We have to get an extension of Phase 1, and so I’ll be going into the region this week, probably Wednesday, to negotiate that,” he told CNN‘s Jake Tapper on Sunday. “And we’re hopeful that we have the proper time … to begin Phase 2 and finish it off and get more hostages released.”
Witkoff said he believes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “well-motivated” to see the agreement with the terrorist group continue.
“He wants to see hostages released; that’s for sure. He also wants to protect the State of Israel. And so, he’s got a red line. And he said what the red line is, and that is that Hamas cannot be involved in a governing body when this thing is resolved,” Witkoff said of the expected talks. JNS
{Matzav.com Israel}