'Israel' shut down the south prior to any rocket from Gaza

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen Net + Agencies
10 May 2023 14:45
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Israeli media say the security establishment was concerned about the calm that the PIJ is showing after the aggression on Gaza.

Israeli occupation police closing a road leading to Gaza on May 9 (AFP)

Fear in "Israel" is growing over the anticipated Palestinian Resistance response to the aggression on Gaza at Tuesday dawn, which resulted in 15 martyrs, according to Israeli media.

The Israeli air aggressions resulted in the martyrdom of three senior leaders in the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement PIJ, in addition to a doctor, four children, and five women.

Israeli media reported that the current situation in the illegal settlements "has not been experienced before, as the response has been delayed. Therefore, they fear that the Islamic Jihad's response will be surprising."

"The situation is frightening," said Israeli settlers in the Gaza envelope settlements, according to the media report, revealing that "an 80% drop in business returns" has been recorded.

Israeli media indicated that "silent attrition and lethal anti-tank fire is the new tactic of the Islamic Jihad movement."

In this context, the Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth news website pointed out that "more than 30 hours have passed since Israel launched its first strike, but the response from Gaza has not yet come, and the price is still being paid by the stakeholders in the south."

"They woke up to another morning of uncertainty, and the result is uninhabited cities, shopping centers that are almost empty, and on the way to shops there are barriers and closed roads," the media outlet said.

The site quoted a shop owner in the "Sderot" occupation settlement as saying, "In my shop, there is no one. Does what is happening here make sense? Without firing a single missile, they closed all the south in a day and a half. Many left to the north, and others are afraid to go out. This is the second day of the process, the vacuum here is terrible."

The Israeli site explained that "the situation is not better in Ashkelon, as they do not know what the day will bring, and the port area in the city remained empty while regular customers stayed at home."

Touching on the issue, Brigadier General Reserve Hilik Sofer, spokesperson for the Interior Front Command, said, "The calm that we are witnessing now may be deceptive, and it may change at any moment. Therefore, we all have to be careful and ready wherever we are, whether at work, home, or anywhere else."

Likewise, the Israeli media reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Security Minister Yoav Gallant "will conduct this evening an assessment of the situation regarding the continued preparations in the south."

A security source said, "Unless there are rocket fires, it is not possible to continue paralyzing the entire south," adding that "those who suffer from the current situation are mainly the residents of the south whose lives have come to a halt. Business owners are complaining about empty shops, many closed roads, and children who have not been able to go to schools within 40 kilometers of the Strip," among other things.

Since yesterday, Israeli media have been talking about thousands of settlers fleeing their illegal settlements around the Gaza Strip, fearing the Resistance's response to the occupation's aggression on Gaza.

Likewise, the Israeli media confirmed that more than 50% of the "Nir Am" settlers in the Gaza Strip were evacuated for fear of an escalation.