Israelis mourn Gaza withdrawal

Advertisement

Thousands of Israelis rallied to mark the third anniversary of the Gaza Strip withdrawal.

Some 5,000 people, including former Gaza settlers, held a demonstration Wednesday at Kissufim, the central crossing into the coastal territory now controlled by Palestinian Hamas. 

Speakers denounced the 2005 withdrawal as a strategic mistake for the Jewish state, which served to strengthen its enemies.

During the event, a Kassam rocket launched from Gaza struck near Erez, a border crossing north of Kissufim. The bomb,which  landed near a kibbutz greenhouse in the western Negev, caused no damage or injuries.

Israel and Hamas began an Egyptian-brokered truce in Gaza in June but it has been frequently violated on the Palestinian side. Israeli security officials fear Hamas is using the quiet to rearm ahead of a new round of violence.

Recommended from JTA

Advertisement