More Gaza Civilians Killed by PIJ Rockets Than by Military Strikes: Israeli Army
Footage distributed by the IDF purporting to show a rocket fired by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad that landed in Gaza. Photo: Twitter screenshot
Israel’s military spokesperson told reporters on Monday that more civilians in the Gaza Strip were killed by failed rocket launches by Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) than by IDF airstrikes.
According to Brig.-Gen. Ran Kochav, one in five PIJ rockets landed in Gaza. Nearly 1,000 rockets were fired from Gaza toward Israeli territory during the three-day conflict.
Earlier on Monday, the Palestinian Health Ministry reported that the number of casualties have risen to 44 people, including 15 children. Another 360 people were wounded.
Israel conducted Operation Breaking Dawn that lasted for 66 hours before a ceasefire negotiated by Egypt came into effect at 11:30 p.m. on Sunday. The IDF concluded the operation by destroying three warehouses, where PIJ militants stored weapons.
Despite rockets being fired just minutes after the ceasefire began, the rest of the night was quiet. However, PIJ leader Ziyad al-Nakhala warned that his movement would resume fighting if Israel didn’t release two militants arrested by the IDF — Bassam al-Saadi and Khalil al-Awawda, which Israeli officials denied ever committing to as part of the ceasefire deal.