Israeli Baby And Her Mother Injured While Running To Shelter From Gaza Rockets

JERUSALEM (JTA) — Terrorists in the Gaza Strip launched rockets into Israel on Friday, the second straight day of rocket fire from the strip.

Three rockets and three mortar rounds were launched into Israel on Friday. Israel’s Iron Dome defense system intercepted one of the mortar rounds, leaving the remaining two to explode in open territory. They caused no injury or damage.

In retaliation, the Israel Defense Forces struck a Hamas post in the Gaza Strip.

On Thursday, Iron Dome intercepted two Qassam rockets. A third one exploded in an open field, resulting in no injuries. But a baby and her mother sustained moderate and minor injuries, respectively, in Sderot while running for shelter upon hearing an alarm, Army Radio reported. They were taken to the hospital.

The rockets were fired after Israeli aircraft fired on terror targets in Gaza in retaliation for the release of incendiary and booby-trapped devices using balloons from Gaza. One device was packaged in shiny gift wrapping, possibly to tempt whoever finds it to open the box and trigger an explosion. The device was deactivated by the police bomb unit.

Separately on Friday morning, Muslims in Jerusalem shouted in Arabic about killing Jews and “freeing Palestine from the river to the sea with fire and blood” after morning prayers at the Al-Aqsa mosque.

It was the second such incident in two weeks. Police dispersed the crowd upon hearing the chants.