7 injured in Gaza rocket attack on central Israel

March 25 (UPI) — Seven people were taken to hospital Monday after a rocket fired from Gaza hit a home in central Israel.

The residents of the Sharon village home, including a 60-year-old woman, were taken to hospital suffering from blast injuries, burns and shrapnel wounds, Israel’s emergency medical services Magen David Adom said on Twitter.

A six-month-old infant was among those taken to hospital.

At least three bystanders were also injured attempting to flee the area.

MDA said it received a call about the rocket at 5:22 a.m. and dispatched EMT and paramedics to the area.


Police said the rocket caused the building to catch fire and shrapnel also caused significant damage to nearby buildings, the Times of Israel reported.

Israel security forces have confirmed that the rocket originated from Gaza.

“We can confirm that Hamas is responsible for firing a homemade rocket,” Israel Defense Forces said in a tweet. “It flew a distance of 75 miles across Israel.”

The rocket triggered air-raid sirens throughout Sharon and Emek regions, the Israel Defense Forces said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cut his trip to the United States for the AIPAC Policy Conference short because of the attack and said Israel “will respond forcefully,” Haaretz reported.

He said he was returning to Israel “to manage our operations up close.”

Netanyahu was scheduled to give a speech Tuesday at the conference but he will instead leave for Israel following a Monday meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House.

Israel has since closed the Erez and Kerem Shalom border crossings between Israel and the Gaza Strip, which adjoins Israel and Egypt.

The attack follows weeks of escalating tensions between the militant Palestinian organization Hamas and Israel.

On March 14, two rockets were allegedly launched by mistake from the Gaza Strip towards Tel Aviv.

In retaliation, Israel hit 100 Hamas targets throughout Gaza.

Egypt is working to deescalate tensions between the two, and a delegation for the country was expected to arrive in Gaza Monday to negotiate an end the present fighting in exchange for benefits from Israel, Qatar and Egypt, Ynet News reported.