Israeli aircraft carry out raid on Gaza Strip after missile interception

CAIRO – 19 April 2022: A number of Israeli armed reconnaissance aircraft carried out early on Tuesday a raid on Gaza Strip, particularly a site from which a missile was launched Monday evening at Al Gholaf settlements but got intercepted.

The site is located southern Gaza Strip to the west of Khan Younes neighborhood. The spokesperson of the Israeli army stated that no injuries occurred, as reported by Saft news agency. Also, settlers heard the sound of explosions in the air.

The missile is the first launched since the ceasefire announced in May 2021 between Israel and Gaza-based Hamas, and that followed deadly raids by the former.

The attack is likely the outcome of provocations by Israeli settlers against Muslim worshippers at Al Aqsa Mosque under the protection of the Israeli police. That is in addition to the attempts of forcefully altering the identity of Eastern Jerusalem by evicting Arab families from their houses so they would be given to settlers.

Earlier in May, Israeli airstrikes caused the destruction of more than 200 residential units in Gaza Strip and 31 educational establishments, including schools, colleges, and vocational training centers. According to the United Nations, 40,000 Palestinians got displaced – mainly from the North to the South – while 2,500 lost their homes. Also, 213 deaths, including 61 children and 36 women, were recorded in addition to 1,442 injuries.

After the ceasefire had been declared, President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi announced in the same month that Egypt – which played a central role in brokering the truce - is allocating $500 million to the reconstruction of Gaza Strip, and that Egyptian firms will take part in the work.

Hence, the removal of ruins by Egypt started in June 2021, and later the necessary raw materials were transported into the territory through the Rafah Crossing in addition to the arrival of a delegation of engineers to follow up on the implementation of the second phase of the project.

Official at one of the contracting companies taking part in the reconstruction of Gaza Strip Suhail al-Saqqa told Youm7 in December that the Egyptian grant covers six projects. The first phase consists of the rehabilitation of Gaza Coastal Road, estimated to get accomplished in eight months, and a residential neighborhood dubbed Dar Misr 3, where leveling and drilling have begun.

The second one includes two other residential projects, introducing utilities and infrastructure, and two bridges in the districts of Shagaeya and Saraya, which are still being designed.