Hamas Attacks Israel with 27 Rockets on New Year's Eve

Gaza – Hamas fired at least 27 rockets into southern and central Israel as Tel Aviv celebrated the start of the new year. 

While air defense systems intercepted 18 attacks, and nine missiles fell in open areas. Loud explosions from the interceptions were also heard in the skies of Tel Aviv, where crowds of partying people celebrated the new year, on Sunday. 

The Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, claimed responsibility for the attack from Gaza, saying that they had fired M90 rockets in response to Israel's massacre of civilians. 

On Christmas Eve, Israel dropped a large bomb on the Maghazi refugee camp in Gaza, killing 68 Palestinians.

A few days later, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken used emergency authority and bypassed a meeting with the US Congress to send $104 million worth of additional 155mm artillery shells to Israel. 

A Palestinian teenager, Hamdan Abu Arab, said that he hopes New Year's Eve 2024 will be better.

"We usually go out and enjoy our time on the last day of the year," he recalled on Monday.  

"But on this New Year's Eve, there were only missiles and human bodies," he continued. 

At least 48 Palestinians were killed by Israeli strikes on Gaza City over the weekend, the Health Ministry said, and many are still buried under the rubble. 

"After the explosion, we arrived at the site of the attack and saw martyrs everywhere," said one resident after a building was hit. 

"Children are still missing, we can't find them," he concluded.