Rockets launched from Gaza strike Southern Israel day before Hamas attack anniversary

As tensions rise ahead of the one-year anniversary of Hamas's deadly assault on Israel, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported a fresh wave of rocket attacks from northern Gaza into southern Israel on Sunday. The IDF confirmed that "several projectiles were identified crossing from the northern Gaza Strip into Israeli territory," with one intercepted while others landed in open areas. This flare-up comes as Israel remains on high alert in anticipation of potential violence to mark the anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack.

The anniversary of last year’s unprecedented assault, which claimed around 1,200 Israeli lives and saw 250 people taken hostage, has reignited the Israel-Hamas conflict. Israel responded to the attack with a fierce military campaign in Gaza that, according to Gaza’s health ministry, has resulted in the deaths of nearly 42,000 Palestinians, displaced millions, and deepened the humanitarian crisis in the region.

Simultaneously, global protests calling for an end to the bloodshed gained momentum on Sunday. In London, nearly 40,000 demonstrators took to the streets, while similar rallies were held in cities like Paris, Rome, Manila, Cape Town, and New York. Protesters in Washington gathered near the White House, condemning U.S. support for Israel’s military actions in Gaza and Lebanon, while those in New York's Times Square demanded an arms embargo against Israel, chanting, "Gaza, Lebanon, you will rise; the people are by your side."

As international pressure mounts and protests intensify, the situation in Gaza remains dire, with the entire population of the 2.3 million-strong enclave facing severe food shortages and displacement amid the ongoing conflict.

Also read: Meghalaya CM defends USTM, lauds contributions amid 'flood jihad' jibe by Himanta Biswa Sarma