Al-Quds Brigades Strike Israel Amid Gaza’s Deadliest Weekend in Weeks
Two-rocket attack underscores Palestinian resistance as death toll surges and ceasefire talks remain stalled.
Palestine, PUREWILAYAH.COM - The Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, announced that its fighters targeted the Israeli settlement of Netivot with two rockets, describing the operation as part of the ongoing response to crimes committed by the Israeli regime against the Palestinian people.
The Israeli military admitted that two rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip toward Netivot, claiming one was intercepted while the other landed in an open area. Israeli media reported that warning sirens were activated across the so-called "Gaza envelope" and into the western al-Naqab.
This operation is the latest in a series of resistance strikes that have defied Israel’s repeated pledges to destroy or “crush” Palestinian armed groups. The attack reflects the continued operational capability of resistance factions despite Israel’s prolonged military campaign.
One of Gaza’s Bloodiest Weekends
The Netivot strikes came as Gaza endured one of the bloodiest weekends in recent weeks.
At least 75 Palestinians were martyred in just 48 hours: 62 killed on Saturday, including 15 waiting for humanitarian aid, and another 13 on Sunday, among them eight civilians sheltering in al-Farabi School and two children in a displacement tent in Gaza City.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, the overall toll from the ongoing war has now surpassed 64,000 martyrs and 162,000 wounded since October 2023, with over 20,000 children killed.
Humanitarian organizations warn that the scale of civilian casualties, combined with the ongoing blockade and bombardment, amounts to atrocity crimes. Save the Children has reported that at least one Palestinian child has been killed every hour on average over the course of nearly 23 months of war.
Ceasefire Proposals, Escalation, and International Concern
The strikes on Netivot came shortly after Hamas’ September 6 reaffirmation of its commitment to the latest ceasefire proposal. The plan calls for a permanent truce, a full withdrawal of occupation forces from Gaza, unrestricted humanitarian aid delivery, and a fair prisoner exchange. Palestinian factions have signaled openness to serious negotiations through mediators.
However, the Israeli government has responded with continued military escalation, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisting on occupying Gaza City. This approach has deepened the humanitarian crisis, as Gaza faces siege, starvation, and relentless airstrikes.
International legal experts note that even the plausible risk of genocide obliges states to take preventive action.
The International Court of Justice is currently reviewing whether Israel’s actions in Gaza constitute genocide. In the meantime, the persistence of Palestinian resistance — including strikes like the Netivot attack — underscores that Israel has failed to achieve its declared war aims and continues to face determined armed opposition. (PW)