Palestinian Missile Hits Israeli City Sderot, Causes Retaliatory Fire

A Palestinian missile launched from the northern Gaza Strip hit on Wednesday the Israeli city of Sderot, prompting the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to open retaliatory fire, The Times of Israel reported.

TEL AVIV (Sputnik) – The Palestinian missile exploded at 10:30 a.m. (07:30 GMT) and caused small damages in Sderot, The Times of Israel said. Three people including a 15-year-old girl and 60-year-old man were taken to Ashkelon’s Barzilai Medical Center because of anxiety attacks.

The Ahfad al-Sahaba-Aknaf Bayt al-Maqdis Islamist group claimed responsibility for the attack but Israel has said many times that it holds the Hamas movement responsible for any attack from the Gaza Strip.

The IDF responded with tank fire hitting the city of Beit Hanoun. There are still no reports about any people injured in the Gaza Strip.

Relations between Israel and Palestine have been shattered for decades. Palestinians seek diplomatic recognition for their independent state on the territories of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which is partially occupied by Israel, and the Gaza Strip. The Israeli government refuses to recognize Palestine as an independent political and diplomatic entity, and builds settlements on the occupied areas, despite objections from the United Nations.