The Army of Israel reported Sunday night that three of his soldiers died and nine others were wounded in a barrage of mortar shells near Gaza’s southern border, prompting the closure of the Kerem Shalom border crossing.
The armed arm of Hamasthe al Qasam Brigades, claimed responsibility for the attack hours before and already alluded to fatalities. The target of the attack was a military post from where, according to Hamas, Israel organized the invasion of Rafah and bombings against the south of the enclave, detailed Al Aqsa, the group’s television channel.
“They identified approximately ten projectile launches crossing from the area adjacent to the Rafah crossing towards the Kerem Shalom area,” the Israeli Army confirmed this afternoon in a brief statement and, hours later, added that at least one home in the Kerem Shalom kibbutz had been damaged.
The Army “attacked the launchers used in the attack. After the bombardment, Kerem Shalom crossing closed used to transfer (humanitarian) aid to Gaza,” the statement said.
Israel reopened the Kerem Shalom crossing in mid-December, after criticism from numerous international organizations regarding the little humanitarian aid entering through the Rafah crossing. border with Egypt and designed for the entry of people but not tons of humanitarian aid.
Since Israel’s defensive operation in Gaza began on October 7, 266 soldiers —counting this Sunday’s victims— have died in the ground operation that has already lasted seven months, according to data from the Israeli Army.
