The defense establishment estimates that Israel will respond to the missile launches this morning (Saturday) that landed off the coast of Gush Dan.
Hamas does send messages to Israel that the rocket fire from the Gaza Strip was due to a mistake caused by the stormy weather.
However, despite the reassuring messages conveyed by Hamas, Israel realized yesterday that the incident could not be passed over in silence, and the defense establishment is looking for a response that will not lead to an escalation in the coming days.
Defense Minister Ganz and Chief of Staff Kochavi (archive), Photo: Oren Ben Hakon
Terrorist organizations in Gaza (archive), Photo: AFP
Thus, in the assessments of the situation that took place yesterday in the defense establishment and at the political level, they sought an appropriate response, but one that would not lead to another round of fighting in the south.
Therefore, following the shooting, the Chief of Staff, Lt. Col. Aviv Kochavi, convened a situation assessment yesterday, at the end of which the army's recommendations were forwarded to Defense Minister Bnei Gantz.
This is not the first time that terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip have been hanged in the weather as an excuse to fire rockets at Israel.
In the past, it was claimed that lightning ignited the rockets, but there were also cases in which this excuse was hung in Gaza even when the shooting was aimed, in order to reduce an Israeli military response.
The basic assessment in the defense establishment is that Hamas is not currently interested in escalating with Israel, but there is no denying the possibility that rebellious organizations, including Islamic Jihad, will try to set fire to the area.
Thus, last week the Islamic Jihad threatened to respond if the medical condition of Hisham Abu Hawash, an administrative detainee who has been on hunger strike for about four months, deteriorates.
The shooting this weekend comes after an unusual incident took place last Thursday in which an Israeli was lightly injured in a shooting incident near the fence in the northern Gaza Strip while performing maintenance work on the site.
The IDF responded by firing tanks at Hamas positions, injuring three Palestinians.
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