An Israeli Air Force F-15 fighter jet flies during an aerial demonstration. (photo credit: AMIR COHEN – REUTERS)
Early on August 22, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) carried out a series of intense strikes on the Palestinian Gaza Strip.
In a statement on Twitter, the IDF claimed that the strikes destroyed four weapons and storage manufacturing sites of the Hamas Movement, the de-facto ruler of Gaza.
Palestinian sources confirmed that multiple strikes targeted al-Arin military site in central Gaza and Badir military site in the southwestern part of the region. Both sites belong to the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas. No casualties were reported as a result of the strikes.
Footage of one of the IDF strikes in central Gaza tonight pic.twitter.com/8dqJhZfpDF
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) August 21, 2021
Also satellite images/infographics of the sites hit pic.twitter.com/5YLYvTs3uR
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) August 21, 2021
During the strikes, Palestinian factions targeted the nearby Israeli settlement of Sderot with heavy machine guns. Several hits were reported.
Footage reportedly from Sderot this evening showing the heavy machine gun fire from Gaza. pic.twitter.com/UljYVSRhoo
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) August 21, 2021
Heavy machine gun fire from Gaza appears to have struck the yard of a home in Sderot amid the IDF airstrikes. IDF yet to comment on the incident. pic.twitter.com/bDkYOZs29Y
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) August 21, 2021
A home in Sderot also got hit by the machine gun fire from Gaza pic.twitter.com/BWeMPawFGj
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) August 21, 2021
The Israeli strikes were a response to a shooting attack by armed Palestinian protesters that left a border guard critically wounded. The attack took place in the morning. Thousands of Palestinians were gathered at the separation line surrounding Gaza to commemorate the 52th anniversary of the arson of Al-Aqsa mosque and to protest against the Israeli siege on their region.
Another angle of the incident on the Gaza border shows a Palestinian apparently shooting with a handgun through the hole in the border wall, before the others try to snatch the IDF soldier’s rifle. pic.twitter.com/ko69mHH4QW
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) August 21, 2021
Image shows a closer view of the apparent attempted weapon snatching. pic.twitter.com/lBlqhRRTiz
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) August 21, 2021
And not only a shooting attack, another Palestinian can be seen carrying a machete next to the Gaza border fence.
(h/t @HaimOmri) pic.twitter.com/KUkjdZCM40
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) August 21, 2021
The border guard, 21-year-old Barel Hadaria Shmueli, was shot in the head at point-blank range by a protester armed with a handgun. He is now in a life-threatening critical condition at the Soroka medical center in Be’er Sheva.
21-year-old Staff Sgt. Barel Hadaria Shmueli is the Border Police soldier who was critically wounded in the shooting on the Gaza border. He is from the central city of Be’er Ya’akov pic.twitter.com/d9x5v6DWJw
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) August 21, 2021
Egypt and the United Nation have been reportedly working to de-escalate the situation in order to prevent a new confrontation in the Gaza Strip.
The situation appears to be calm as for now. However, this may quickly change if the Israeli border guard surrender to his wounds.
