Israel/Palestinian Terr.: Two rockets fired at Israel from Gaza June 2 /update 8

Event

A pair of rockets were fired at Israel from the Gaza Strip on Saturday, June 2, hours after thousands of people attended the funeral of a Palestinian medic in Gaza who was killed by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) troops during protests along the Israel-Gaza border on Friday, June 1. Israel's Iron Dome air defense system reportedly intercepted one of the missiles, while the other missile landed inside the Gaza Strip. Additional missile attacks from Gaza aimed at Israel are possible in the near-term. Further related demonstrations, clashes between protesters and IDF troops, and associated casualties are expected along the Israel-Gaza border in the coming weeks.

Context

Large-scale Palestinian demonstrations have recently taken place in the Gaza Strip along the Israel-Gaza border. Over 100 Palestinians have been killed and thousands of others wounded in clashes with IDF personnel since the demonstrations began on March 30. Smaller related protests have taken place in the West Bank. The protest movement climaxed on May 14-15. On May 15, Palestinians took part in the annual commemoration of the Nakba ("catastrophe"), the 1948 Palestinian exodus from the territory that became the State of Israel.

A spike in tensions and cross-border incidents has been observed in Israel and the Palestinian Territories in the wake of US President Donald Trump's December 2017 announcement that the US would officially recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, a departure from the previous US and international position of neutrality on the status of the city claimed by both Israelis and Palestinians, and would move the US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The new embassy was officially opened on May 14.

Advice

Individuals present in Israel and the Palestinian Territories are advised to avoid all protests or other public gatherings due to the high risk of violence and to monitor developments to the situation. Due to the underlying terrorist threat, travelers in Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip are advised to report any suspicious objects or behavior to the authorities. Some Western governments advise their citizens against all travel to the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and areas near the Israeli-Lebanese, Israeli-Syrian, and Israeli-Egyptian borders.