Hamas announced on Sunday that its armed wing had launched rockets at Israeli forces near the Kerem Shalom border crossing between Gaza and Israel. The Israeli military reported that the attack resulted in the deaths of three soldiers and left three others critically wounded.
Approximately 14 rockets and mortars were fired from an area near the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt towards Kerem Shalom, according to Israeli military spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner. One home in the kibbutz was struck. There is no indication that the Kerem Shalom crossing itself, a key entry point for humanitarian aid into Gaza, was the target of the attack. The Israeli military also stated that there was no immediate threat to other crossings. Nevertheless, following the attack, the Kerem Shalom crossing was closed to aid trucks.
In response, the Israeli military launched airstrikes, targeting the launcher responsible for the attack and other Hamas military infrastructure.
The Israeli military had been prepared for the possibility of rocket attacks due to its preparations near the southern border, where soldiers were guarding heavy tanks and bulldozers. Protective elements had been pre-positioned for the soldiers to seek cover, and an internal investigation will be conducted into the circumstances of their deaths and injuries, including whether they took cover as expected after sirens sounded, Col. Lerner added.
Israel's Foreign Ministry condemned the attack, stating that it demonstrated Hamas' lack of interest in allowing aid into Gaza, which is experiencing severe humanitarian challenges. The ministry affirmed Israel's commitment to providing aid to Gaza's people, despite Hamas' actions.
Following the attack, Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's national security minister and a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet, called for a military assault on Rafah. "We did not attack Gaza and we got Oct. 7," Mr. Ben-Gvir said, referring to previous attacks. "We didn't attack Rafah and we got a precision attack. Netanyahu, go to Rafah."