Gaza: Israeli aircraft destroyed a boat moored in Gaza city early on Wednesday morning, local residents said. There were no reports of casualties.
The Israeli military said aircraft had struck “military targets belonging to the Hamas terror organisation’s naval force” and “underground terror infrastructure” belonging to Hamas in the northern Gaza Strip.
The military said the air strikes were carried out in response to an incident on Tuesday when a group of men from Gaza broke through the border fence into Israel and set fire to an army post. An Israeli tank then targeted a Hamas observation post. No casualties were reported.
Gaza residents said the vessel that was hit by missiles was set ablaze. They said it was due to sail to meet a flotilla hoping to reach Gaza. Israel maintains a naval blockade of the Gaza Strip and has in the past stopped other boats from reaching it shores.
It comes as Palestinians on Tuesday accused Israel of systematic crimes, including apartheid in the occupied territories, and urged the International Criminal Court to open an investigation that could ultimately lead to charges against Israeli leaders.
Israel immediately slammed the move as “legally invalid”.
Read the full article by Mike Corder in The Sydney Morning Herald.