Witnesses and militant groups say Israel carried out air strikes in the Gaza Strip late Monday, wounding at least 17 people after militants fired mortar shells and rockets into the Jewish state two days earlier.
Medical officials from the Islamist group Hamas said four militants, seven children and two women were among the wounded.
The Reuters news agency reported that the Israeli military confirmed one of Monday’s air raids, saying several militants affiliated with Hamas were targeted in northern Gaza, as well as a tunnel used to smuggle weapons.
Israel killed two Palestinians in Gaza during a separate border confrontation on Saturday.
Before Monday’s attack, a spokesman for the armed wing of Hamas said the group would preserve an unofficial truce with Israel, but only if Israeli forces halted strikes on Gaza. The Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades also claimed responsibility for Saturday’s barrage of mortar attacks on Israel.
