Aviv Kochavi
Aviv KochaviIDF Spokesperson's Unit

IDF Chief of Staff, Maj. Gen. Aviv Kochavi, spoke on Monday evening at an event in honor of IDF reservists in Holon and commented on the escalation in the south.

"I cannot say if the event is still in progress or is ending, or if it's going to escalate or to decline," he said.

"I have no intention of scaring you, I do not expect to be going there, not in the next 24 hours and longer than that, in any way. But quite a few of the operations in the last 20 years, even the wars, began in this manner, through an escalation that evolved into something much bigger,” added Kochavi.

"We will do everything possible to complete our mission, to protect the citizens of the Gaza envelope in this case. We will do everything to prevent them from feeling insecure and of course protect them in any way possible."

From Monday afternoon until around 7:00 p.m., rockets were fired toward Ashkelon, Netivot and other communities in the Gaza envelope.

Two people were lightly injured as they made their way to a protected space. Sirens were also heard in localities in the Sdot Negev, Bnei Shimon and Hof Ashkelon regional councils, as well as in the city of Sderot.

The Iron Dome intercepted a significant portion of the rockets.