Palestinian rocket alert in Jerusalem, with residents reporting explosions

For the first time since the beginning of the Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip, there was also a rocket alarm in Jerusalem on Sunday.

According to military reports, warning sirens were sounding around the city in the morning, while residents have reported explosions, reports dpa news agency.

Since Friday, more than 400 rockets have been fired at Israel from the Gaza Strip, according to the military.

There had been fears that the situation could escalate further on Sunday, the Jewish day of fasting and mourning, Tisha B'Av.

Religious Jews mourn the destruction of the two ancient temples in Jerusalem on this day.

The Islamist Hamas organization, which controls the Gaza Strip, has called for the al-Aqsa mosque on the site known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary to be "defended and for Israeli attacks on the holy site to be opposed".

The Noble Sanctuary, or al-Haram al-Sharif, with the Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque, is the third holiest site in Islam. To the Jews it is known as the Temple Mount, where both the destroyed temples stood.

Until now, Hamas had kept a low profile in the recent conflict with Israel.

The Israeli military had launched the large-scale operation dubbed "Breaking Dawn" against the militant organization Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) on Friday.

The military chief Taisir al-Jabari and other PIJ members were killed.

The group is classified as a terrorist organization by the EU and the US.

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, 29 people have died since Friday, and at least 253 have been injured.

Among the dead are six children and four women, in addition to other PIJ members.

--IANS

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