The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported that members of the radical Islamic terror group Hamas in the Gaza Strip launched mortars at an under-construction pier for a US-led project to bring food aid into the Palestinian enclave yesterday.
The mortar attack occurred while United Nations officials were touring the site with Israeli troops on the coast of central Gaza.
The IDF stated that the UN officials were quickly rushed to a shelter by troops during the attack.
UN officials also confirmed the mortar attack to the Associated Press and reported that there were no injuries.
“The terrorist organizations continue to systematically harm humanitarian efforts while risking the lives of UN workers, while Israel allows the supply of aid to the residents of the Gaza Strip,” the IDF added in their statement.
The attack marks a rocky beginning to the construction of the pier, a project spearheaded by the United States to increase humanitarian aid into Gaza.
No group has claimed responsibility for the mortar fire. However, a Hamas official confirmed to the AP yesterday that the terror group will resist any foreign military presence involved with the port project.
Stephen Dietrich is the publisher of The Horn News