Israeli warplanes attack several Hamas military sites in the south of Gaza

Israeli warplanes attacked military sites belonging to the Islamic movement, Hamas, in Khan Younis City in the south of the coastal enclave during the early hours of Tuesday, according to local security sources.

The sources told The New Arab that the Israeli warplanes carried out seven successive airstrikes on the al-Qadisiya site with several heavy missiles, and huge explosions were heard throughout the area.

🛑 Occupation warplanes target the vicinity of Al-Qadisiyah site, west of Khan Yunis governorate in #Gaza#Gaza_Under_Attack #GazaUnderAttack #غزة_تحت_القصف pic.twitter.com/w0xEL7Vmer

— الخُولبني (@ALKhulbni) April 18, 2022

Once the Israeli strikes ended, ambulances and civil defence crews rushed to the scene.

Residents in the area shared pictures and shorts videos of the Israeli attack on their social media accounts, depicting the damage to the site and its surroundings. 

#Gaza_Under_Attack can they have a peaceful ramdhan? they dont have a peaceful night in this holy month or pray in peace and here no one is talking about it my heart hurts the world needs to see this and know about what they have to go through every ramdhan pic.twitter.com/6fjc4dStY3

— mimi 🍓🐈🌙 (@minslilac) April 18, 2022

For its part, the Al-Qassam Brigades, the Islamic movement's military wing, said in a press statement to The New Arab that its militants fired surface-to-air missiles at the Israeli fighter jets, forcing them to retreat. 

Meanwhile, Hazem Qassem, the spokesperson for Hamas in Gaza, said that the airstrikes on the southern Gaza Strip were "a failed attempt to prevent the Palestinian people from resisting the occupation and defend the city of Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque."

"The Palestinian resistance will not remain silent (...) We have prepared for the enemy and we have enough to fight a battle for six consecutive months."https://t.co/dw8ByVAber

— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) April 12, 2022

The Israeli attack was a response to the rocket fire from the Gaza Strip last night, according to Avichai Adraee, the Israeli army's spokesperson. 

"Our fighter jets attacked some targets of Hamas, including a workshop manufacturing weapons, and a military site of the Al-Qassam brigades," Adraee said in a press statement. 

He noted that the Palestinian missile was intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome air defence system.

Neither the Palestinians nor Israelis reported any casualties from the incident.

🚨 ISRAEL is bombing Gaza right now ...#GazaUnderAttack#IsraeliTerrorism pic.twitter.com/TbRv19OpbX

— Palestine Under Attack (@Gaza_2021) April 18, 2022

However, the local residents in the besieged coastal enclave are worried about a deterioration of the security situation and a new round of fighting with Israel. 

Speaking to The New Arab, Samah al-Ahmed, a mother of four, said, "We still remember all the terrible memories we had experienced in the last Israeli war on Gaza."  

"I am afraid and anxious to start preparations for the celebration of Eid al-Fitr after several days," the 33-year-old mother added. 

Ahmed further contends that Israel "does not show mercy on anyone in its war in, and does not differentiate between civilians and militants when it attacks Gaza."

In May 2021, Israel launched an 11-day military campaign on the Gaza Strip, following a barrage of rockets that emanated from Gaza fired in response to Israel's encroachment on the Al Aqsa Mosque, the third-holiest site for Muslims.

During the wave of fierce fighting, Israeli warplanes carried out hundreds of air raids on the Gaza Strip, home to nearly two million people, most of whom are refugees, killing over 250 and wounding up to 2,000.

At the same time, Palestinian armed factions in Gaza fired thousands of rockets at Israel, killing more than 10.

Since then, a fragile cease-fire has held, despite the ongoing violations on part of Israel.