The military struck the Gaza Strip late on Friday night after Hamas fired a rocket towards the Eshkol Regional Council in southern Israel. The projectile was intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system, the IDF said.
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The incident followed news of the arrest of two terrorist fugitives who escaped a maximum-security prison in northern Israel on Monday. No Palestinian group claimed responsibility for the rocket attack at this time.
In response to the rocket fired from Gaza at Israel tonight, we just struck a Hamas machine gun post, storage site and military compound.
Hamas is responsible for all terrorist attacks emanating from Gaza.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) September 11, 2021
The IDF said in a statement that the airstrike targeted Hamas rocket-launching positions, a storage facility, and a facility used as part of the terrorist group's terror tunnel enterprise.
"Once again, Hamas proved that they purposely place their assets at the heart of the civilian population in Gaza," the military said. "The IDF will continue to strike against terror attempts and sees Hamas as responsible for all that is done in the Gaza Strip."
Earlier on Friday, Israeli security forces shot a knife-wielding Palestinian who attempted to stab police officers in Jerusalem's Old City on Friday, officials said.
The Palestinian Authority identified the man as Hazim al-Joulani, 51, director of the al-Rayyan alternative medicine college in east Jerusalem and an expert in Chinese acupuncture. His Facebook page said al-Joulani used to work in Israel's Shamir Medical Center (formerly Assaf Harofeh Hospital), in central Israel.
Joulani was transferred to Jerusalem's Hadassah Medical Center in critical condition, where he died of his injuries, a hospital spokeswoman said.
A police statement said that the attempted stabbing attack took place near the Lions' Gate in the Old City, on the northern side of the Temple Mount.
CCTV footage of the incident showed Joulani repeatedly trying to stab a police officer, who was able to ward him off, back away and open fire.
"Soon after 4 p.m., the assailant, armed with a knife, arrived at the officers' post near the Lions' Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem and tried to injure the forces there. Police and Border Police officers engaged him immedately and who opened fire at the assailant, neutralizing him before he could carry out his plan," a police statement said.
The incidnet is under investigation. According to media reports, at this point, the police believe that Joulani was a lone-wolf terrorists. It appears he had recently tried to take his own life due to financial difficulties.
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