Israeli military says intercepted two ‘projectiles’ launched from Gaza

Israel’s military said it intercepted two “projectiles” launched on Monday from the Gaza Strip, nearly a week after Israel resumed intensified bombing of the territory.

It is the third time Gaza militants have fired rockets into Israel since it restarted its heavy air strikes on March 18, shattering a period of relative calm since a January truce.

“Following the sirens that sounded at 19:02 in the communities near the Gaza Strip, two projectiles that crossed into Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip were intercepted” by the Israeli Air Force, the military statement said.

The armed wing of Hamas ally Islamic Jihad, the al-Quds Brigade, claimed responsibility for the rocket fire, saying in a statement that it had fired towards Sderot, Netiv Ha’asara and Zikim, near the northern edge of the Gaza Strip.

The Gaza health ministry said Monday that 730 people had been killed since Israel resumed intense bombardments, including 57 in the past 24 hours.