AFP Photo
The deputy spokesperson of the Israeli ministry of foreign affairs, Paul Hirschson, confirmed that rockets were fired into Israel on Wednesday but, contrary to several Israeli news sources, stressed they could not know with certainty that the rockets came from Egypt.
The Israeli newspaper Arutz Sheva reported “Arab terrorists” launched four “Katyusha rockets,” at southern Israel, but that there were no injuries or damage to property. Al-Ahram reported the rocket had originated from Egypt, citing AFP. AFP had spoken to Israeli security sources that confirmed rockets were fired into Israel in the direction of the town of Bnei Netzarim.
“We don’t have confirmation they came from Egypt and it seems it may have come from the Gaza Strip,” Hirschson said. He said militants in the Sinai who fire rockets into Israel are more often than not connected to the same groups firing from the Gaza Strip.
“We have seen cases where members of Hamas or other groups within the Gaza Strip have infiltrated into the Sinai and then come back into Israel in an attempt to drag Egypt and Israel into an engagement with each other which I think is the last thing either of us wants,” he said.
“What we know for sure is that there were four explosions in Bnei Netzarim and there is a sense within the army that they were fired from Sinai and not from Gaza,” AFP cited its source saying.
The Israeli Defense Forces media department confirmed a missile was discovered in the area but an investigation was ongoing and no more details could be provided.
