The armed wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the al-Quds Brigades, took responsibility for mortar fire that injured three agricultural workers on Saturday.
In a statement on its website, the group said that "it is the resistance's right to act against any Zionist aggression against our people." It continued, "We will take the path of resistance and jihad until all our lands are freed," Channel 10 reported.
RELATED:1 IDF
soldier killed, 4 injured along Gaza border'4,000
attend funeral for mistakenly killed Hebron man'OC Southern Command Maj.-Gen. Tal Russo Saturday evening visited the kibbutz struck by the mortar shells that injured the agricultural workers earlier in the day.
Russo, speaking at Kibbutz Sha'ar Hanegev, said that the IDF is currently dealing with the event on an operational level. "We will deal with those who fired the mortars and those who sent them," he clarified.
Four mortar shells fired by Palestinian terrorists in Gaza landed in the kibbutz, injuring three foreign agricultural workers on Saturday - one of them seriously.
One shell struck a building housing the workers, who were employed by the kibbutz. One man is in serious condition and has been taken for surgery with shrapnel wounds to his chest.
Two others were moderately and lightly injured by shrapnel, the Soroka Medical Center in Beersheva, which treated the injured, said.
A number of people suffered shock as a result of the attack and were treated on the scene by paramedics.
Police in the Negev said a total of four mortar shells with a diameter
of 181 millimeters were fired at the western Negev on Saturday
afternoon.
Towards the evening, an additional mortar shell fired from Gaza landed
in an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council. No injuries or damages
were reported.
On Friday, one IDF soldier was killed and four injured, apparently from
friendly fire, when their patrol was ambushed by terrorists along the
central Gaza border fence. A number of mortars were also fired into
Israel by Palestinians throughout the day.
On Thursday, two Palestinians were shot and killed by the IDF while
attempting to penetrate the border fence and enter Israeli territory.
The same day, The IAF carried out two air strikes in the Gaza Strip. The
IDF spokesman said that a terror base in the northern Strip and a
smuggling tunnel in southern Gaza were struck.
Associated Press contributed to this report.