Israel Strikes Hamas in Gaza after Rocket Launch

JERUSALEM, Israel – The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it hit several Hamas targets in Gaza in response to a rocket launched at southern Israel Tuesday night.

The rocket landed in an open area in the Eshkol region but no injuries were reported.

The IDF said it targeted “three Hamas military posts in Gaza” in retaliation.

Hamas’ military wing announced on Wednesday morning that one of its members died when a terror tunnel he was working on collapsed. It is unclear whether his death was caused by Israel’s response to the rocket attack.

Hamas aims to use the tunnels to carry out attacks against Israel.

Egypt announced this week that it has destroyed more than 3,000 tunnels along its border with Gaza in the last five years.

“In 2015, the [Egyptian] government took a decision to establish a buffer zone along the border [with the Gaza Strip]. These tunnels were used to threaten Egypt’s national security, including the infiltration of terrorists, smuggling of weapons, ammunition, goods, narcotic drugs and vehicles. We established the buffer zone in stages because residents had to be relocated. They have received compensation,” Egyptian Army Spokesperson Tamer Al-Refai told Egyptian media Sunday night.

Tuesday evening’s rocket attack is the first in more than a month as both Israelis and Palestinians focus their efforts on combatting the coronavirus.

Since March, Israel and Hamas have been negotiating a prisoner swap.

Israel seeks the return of two Israeli citizens held captive there, along with the bodies of two IDF soldiers who died during the war in 2014.

Hamas is demanding that Israel release all minor, female, and elderly prisoners. The terror group also wants the release of those rearrested by Israel after the 2011 Gilad Shalit prisoner swap deal.