Summary of Saturday's news: Incessant firing from the Gaza Strip, the IDF attacks jihadist targets in Gaza | Israel Today

Operation "Dawn" - summary of the first day:

Yesterday (Friday) at noon, the IDF launched an operation against the Islamic Jihad organization in the Gaza Strip and eliminated the commander of the Northern Brigade of the Taysir Jabri organization. In the evening, the Jihad began firing rockets almost without A pause towards the Gaza Strip, the Shefala settlements and the Fatai of the Gush Dan. On the other hand, the IDF continued to attack the organization's targets in the Gaza Strip.

Updates from the field - minute by minute 

Jabari was believed to have promoted plans for anti-tank attacks against Israeli citizens and IDF soldiers in recent days.

As a result of the attack, the Home Front Command issued special instructions to residents, 80 kilometers from the Gaza border.

At the same time, the IDF announced an extensive reserve recruitment.

During the afternoon hours, the IDF's attacks continued in the Gaza Strip. Islamic Jihad positions on the border, sites for the production of weapons and operatives within the organization were bombed by Air Force aircraft and IDF artillery forces.

A barrage of rockets from the Gaza Strip, photo: AP

At the same time as Prime Minister Lapid and Defense Minister Gantz's statement at 21:00, the Islamic Jihad started shooting at the Gaza Strip.

The shooting was aimed at the nearby settlements surrounding Gaza, at the Shefala settlements and also at the outskirts of Gush Dan on the Jaffa-Bat Yam border and Rishon Lezion.

The shooting from the Gaza Strip continued during the night, mainly to the settlements close to the fence.

At the same time, the US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, spoke with the Minister of Defense, Benny Gantz, during which the US Secretary received an update regarding the IDF strikes against jihadist targets in the Gaza Strip, and regarding the steps the Israeli government is taking to protect its citizens from the rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip .

Defense Minister Gantz during a visit to the Iron Dome battery: "We have foiled and will continue to foil many terrorists" Video credit - Nicole Leskavi, Ministry of Defense

In the morning, an IDF spokesman said that the IDF carried out 30 strikes in which 40 elements of the terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip were destroyed.

According to the army's statement, five rocket launchers, six workshops for the production of salt, two or three salt warehouses, as well as six observation posts of the organization were destroyed by tanks. 

During the day, it was allowed to publish that two IDF soldiers were slightly injured after being hit by shrapnel from rocket launchers.

The two came to take care of the fallen and were injured after not having time to find a shelter.

In the afternoon, the first direct hit came at the house in Sderot.

The family that was staying at home entered the MMD and as a result were not hit. Later a rocket landed in a residential neighborhood in Ashkelot - damage was done to vehicles but there were no casualties. Later the circle of fire expanded to Gush Dan as well, when two rockets landed in the sea off the coast of Tel Aviv. 

In the afternoon, the Palestinian Ministry of Health reported that so far 15 Palestinians have been killed in the attacks, including a 5-year-old girl, a 23-year-old young woman and an elderly woman.

More than 120 injured were also reported.

Iron Dome in the Gaza Strip, photo: AFP

A rocket hit the house in Sderot, the family members ran to the emergency room and were saved

The IDF spokesman announced that as of 6:30 p.m., the terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip had fired 350 rockets into Israeli territory since the start of Operation Dawn, 227 crossed the fence, 162 were intercepted, 94 landed in the Gaza Strip and 162 were intercepted. This means that approximately 95.9 percent All the rockets that posed a risk were intercepted.

Attempts to achieve a ceasefire

At the same time, the Egyptian attempts to mediate between Israel and the Islamic Jihad continue.

A political official who spoke with "Israel Today" referred to the Egyptian mediation attempts and said: "Cairo has been playing a central and highly valued role for a long time, in an attempt to create calm and stability even before the start of the operation. However, we are preparing for a several-day operation." 

The source added: "Currently, the operation in Gaza does not occupy a high place on the international agenda. The main statement came from the White House, which made it clear that Israel has the right to defend itself."

Prime Minister, Yair Lapid, Photo: Prime Minister's Office

The second day of the "Dawn" operation: this is what it looks like to launch Qassams from the Gaza Strip Photo: Yaniv Zohar

The streets of Gaza are deserted;

Islamic Jihad: "There is no mediation"

After the first day of Operation Dawn which the IDF launched yesterday - the streets of Gaza are deserted as residents barricade themselves in their homes.

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Will cooperate?

Lapid invited Netanyahu for a security update

Against the background of the security situation, opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu will arrive tomorrow (Sunday) for the first time for a security update meeting with Prime Minister Yair Lapid. This is a change in Netanyahu's position, who until today refused to attend the update talks and demanded that they be held in the presence of the Prime Minister's military secretary only. without the presence of a torch.

In the afternoon, the Prime Minister's Office issued a statement according to which "in light of the security situation and as required by law, Prime Minister Lapid invites the opposition leader, MK Benjamin Netanyahu, for a security update tomorrow along with his military secretary."

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Killings in Gaza and rockets in Israel: the world reacts with indifference

In the world media there were echoes of the IDF's "Dawn" operation in the Gaza Strip, but it is clear that the issue did not grab headlines and most of the coverage went through social networks. "An Israeli attack killed nine in Gaza, the Islamic Jihad promises revenge", they wrote in the news agency Reuters in a secondary news. The AP news agency also commented on the operation and noted that a "senior Islamic Jihad commander" was killed. The BBC, not surprisingly, sided with the Palestinians. 

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Commentary: This is how Israel prepares for the continuation of Operation Dawn

Yoav Limor

The IDF hopes to keep Hamas out of the fighting round - and repeat the achievement of Operation Black Belt. But the internal arena also worries the security elite.

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