Elizabeth TsurkovVerified account

Important statement by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad: "We are not interested in any military escalation. Israel must adhere to the calm"https://twitter.com/AlArabiya_Brk/status/1062033691046752256 …

Still, multiple rockets landed in civilian-populated areas, meaning that the Iron Dome system struggled to cope with large barrages of rockets and mortars.

The 3rd Gazan killed tonight is an Islamic Jihad militant. IDF reports that Iron Dome intercepted 60 out of the 200 rockets and mortars fired by Gaza militants. The system does not attempt to shoot down projectiles that are deemed non-threatening (falling into sea/open areas)

More details on the Hamas anti-tank missile strike on the Israeli bus near the border with Gaza. The attack was apparently intended to be a mass casualty event. Minutes before the bus was hit, dozens of soldiers disembarked it, saving their lives. Only 1 person was injured.

List of tweeps based in Gaza and Palestinian media outlets tweeting about Gaza (mostly in Arabic): https://twitter.com/Elizrael/lists/gaza … Number of people killed in Gaza has risen to 3, at least 2 of them militants with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine

Also some positive signs: * No one in Israel has been killed by rocket fire thus far, reducing pressure on PM to launch a war. * Israeli airstrikes appear to be focused on empty militant positions away from population centers. 2 killed thus far in Gaza, both apparently militants.

Ominous signs from Israel and Gaza: Schools will be closed tomorrow across southern Israel. IDF is sending dozens of armored vehicles to the border with Gaza. Militants in Gaza are firing rockets into areas closer to central Israel than previous post-2014 fire exchanges

A rocket launched by Gaza militants hit a home in Ashdod, southern Israel. No injuries. This is the first time Ashdod has been hit since 2014 war. IDF bombings killed 2 Palestinian militants in northern Gaza.

Rocket launched by militants in Gaza exploded in an apartment building in Asqhelon. Several civilians injured. Earlier, a bus traveling near Gaza was hit with an anti-tank missile (another bus hit with a mortar, severely injuring a soldier).

Sirens now sounding off in areas further away from Gaza - Dead Sea, Hebron Mountains and Judea regions (occupied West Bank).

Even if the ongoing escalation in Gaza does not result in a war, it will boost the narrative of the Israeli Right that concessions to 'terrorists' only lead to violence. Netanyahu is in a very uncomfortable position right now. See my threadhttps://twitter.com/Elizrael/status/1061997248886784000 …

Gaza militants managed to hit civilian homes in Sderot, Ofakim and Netivot. Several people injured. It appears that Hamas is firing dozens of rockets simultaneously to try to overwhelm the Iron Dome system.

What a disaster. Hamas retaliation to the failed Israeli operation in Gaza is bringing us closer to war.https://twitter.com/gaza_report/status/1061997939374125056 …

with through violence, wouldn't have blamed Netanyahu for such a war. We saw this pattern in previous conflicts: Israeli leaders pay a price for being 'soft' on 'terrorism' but they do not pay a price for doing nothing to prevent conflict or to advance peace.

If Netanyahu wanted war, he could have just blocked the transfer of Qatari funds to Gaza, as Israel has done in the past & let pressure and misery in Gaza to build up. A war would have erupted & the Israeli public, taught to view Hamas as a terrorist actor that can only be dealt