Israeli army strikes Hamas targets following border breach
GAZA CITY — The Israeli army said it bombed a Hamas military compound in the Gaza Strip early Sunday after a number of Palestinians allegedly breached the Gaza border fence and set fire to an army vehicle.
No injuries were reported in the incident, which comes days before mass Palestinian protests are set to take place along the Israel-Gaza border.
Sporadic clashes along the border have increased since U.S. President Donald Trump sparked Palestinian outrage by declaring Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
On March 30, Hamas called for Palestinians to gather around Israel-Gaza border area in protest of Trump’s Jerusalem move and set up tents encampments.
On Sunday, in an apparent reference to the planned protest, the Israeli army, or IDF, warned against “riots that serve to conceal attempts to harm security infrastructure and attempts to harm Israeli civilians and or IDF troops.”
Last month, four Israeli soldiers were injured by an explosive device along the border fence and Israel retaliated with large-scale bombings of Hamas targets.
Hamas is considered a terrorist group by the United States, European Union and Israel. It seized control of the Gaza Strip in 2007.