Gaza terrorists carried out several attacks on Thursday, aiming at soldiers near the Gaza security barrier and civilians in southern Israel. No injuries were reported in any of the incidents.
The attacks were part of a pattern of increasingly frequent terrorist activity in the area.
Terrorists fired two mortar shells at an Israeli agricultural community just north of Gaza on Thursday morning. The shells fell within Gaza, near the community's fields.
On Thursday afternoon, terrorists fired a total of five mortar shells at agricultural communities in the Shaar HaNegev and Sdot Negev regions. Attacks on the largely agricultural areas surrounding Gaza often serve terrorists by driving Israeli farmers away from their fields, thus causing financial loss even when the attacks do not do direct damage.
Hamas claimed responsibility for four of the day's seven mortar shell attacks, according to Maan news. The PFLP claimed responsibility for the remaining three.
In addition to the mortar attacks, terrorists attacked soldiers doing repair work near the Kissufim crossing. Soldiers returned fire.
A second shooting attack was reported in the same area approximately two hours later. A piece of equipment was damaged, but there were no injuries.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has warned that Israel will respond to every attack from Gaza.