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While the UN devotes its human rights operations to the demonization of the democratic state of Israel above all others and condemns the United States more often than the vast majority of non-democracies around the world, the voices of real victims around the world must be heard.
U.N. Obsession with Condemning
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Damage at a home in the southern town of Sderot that was struck by a rocket launched by Palestinian terrorists in the Gaza Strip, May 12, 2023. (Photo courtesy Sderot Municipality)
Palestinian Authority/Gaza, May 12, 2023
Palestinian war crimes mount as over 800 rockets fired at Israel
Original source
Gazan terrorists fired dozens of rockets at Israel late Friday morning, breaking several hours of calm and likely setting back efforts to end the fighting after several days.
Rocket fire was directed at areas near the Strip, and a short time later long-range projectiles were launched toward areas south of Jerusalem, setting off sirens in the Etzion settlement bloc and Beit Shemesh for the first time since violence erupted.
According to a military source, two rockets fired from Gaza toward Jerusalem were intercepted, one by the Iron Dome, and the second by David’s Sling. It marked the second-ever David’s Sling interception, after a rocket fired at Tel Aviv on Wednesday was downed by the system.
The medium-range David’s Sling is expected to fill a hole in Israel’s missile defense array, which includes the short-range Iron Dome and the Arrow system, which is designed to intercept long-range ballistic missiles.
One projectile also apparently landed outside the West Bank settlement of Bat Ayin.
Dozens of rockets were fired at the southern city of Sderot and other towns near the border with the Gaza Strip in successive volleys starting at 11 a.m.
Homes were hit by rockets and shrapnel in Sderot and Nir Am, and the Eshkol Regional Council said one rocket caused minor damage to a greenhouse.
The rest of the rockets were downed by the Iron Dome air defense system or landed in open areas, local officials said.
No injuries were reported in the attacks.
The rocket fire, which was claimed by Islamic Jihad, came as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was holding a meeting with top defense officials in Tel Aviv to examine steps forward after both sides had refrained from cross-border fire for nearly 10 hours, raising hopes that the latest bout of violence between Israel and the Palestinian enclave had ended.
Shortly after the attack, the Israel Defense Forces said it carried out strikes against four Islamic Jihad military sites, a mortar launching position, and the area used to fire rockets at Israel.
Meanwhile, the IDF extended restrictions on movement and gathering for residents living up to 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the Gaza Strip, to Saturday at 8 p.m.
The IDF said the extension of the restrictions comes following an assessment held by military officials, following renewed rocket fire from Gaza at Israel. The rules were supposed to end at 2 p.m. on Friday.
The Home Front Command rules mandated school closures, work closures — unless employees have a bomb-safe room they can reach in time — and limited outdoor gatherings to no more than 10 people.
Indoor gatherings in towns near the Gaza border were restricted to 50 people, while those up to 40 kilometers from the border with the Strip were limited to 100 people.
Additionally, special education schools were permitted to operate, provided there is a bomb-safe room that school kids and teachers can reach in time.
The rocket attacks Friday morning marked the first launch out of Gaza since 10 p.m. Thursday, according to the IDF. The Israeli military said it continued to strike Islamic Jihad sites in Gaza until 2 a.m.
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Gazan fighters, who only began firing rockets in response to the bombing on Wednesday afternoon, launched 866 projectiles during the conflict, 163 of which fell short of the border and 260 of which were intercepted, Hagari said. Most rockets targeted towns in southern Israel, but some reached as far north as Tel Aviv...
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