30 may 2018
A ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel appears to be holding following one of the worst days in violence in the Gaza Strip since the 2014 Gaza war.
Political bureau member of Hamas Khalil al-Hayya said on Wednesday that armed groups in the Gaza Strip had agreed to a deal with Israel following a night of air attacks targeting several Hamas and Islamic Jihad positions in the coastal enclave.
Al-Hayya said the group was committed to a truce as long as Israel was.
"A number of mediators intervened in the past hours, and an agreement was reached to return to a ceasefire in Gaza", Hayya said in a statement.
The Israeli army said it struck 60 targets belonging to Palestinian resistance groups in response to alleged "barrage of projectiles" fired from Gaza into southern Israel on Tuesday.
The firing of rockets and mortar rounds came as Islamic Jihad vowed to avenge a deadly attack against its members last week.
Since March 30, at least 121 unarmed Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in protests near the Israeli apartheid fence separating Gaza and territories occupied in 1948. Palestinians are demanding their right to return to the homes and land their families were expelled from during the establishment of the Israeli entity in 1948.
Gaza - a territory of more than two million people - has been under a devastating Israeli-imposed blockade for the past 12 years, which has severely restricted the movement of Palestinians in and out of the territory.
Political bureau member of Hamas Khalil al-Hayya said on Wednesday that armed groups in the Gaza Strip had agreed to a deal with Israel following a night of air attacks targeting several Hamas and Islamic Jihad positions in the coastal enclave.
Al-Hayya said the group was committed to a truce as long as Israel was.
"A number of mediators intervened in the past hours, and an agreement was reached to return to a ceasefire in Gaza", Hayya said in a statement.
The Israeli army said it struck 60 targets belonging to Palestinian resistance groups in response to alleged "barrage of projectiles" fired from Gaza into southern Israel on Tuesday.
The firing of rockets and mortar rounds came as Islamic Jihad vowed to avenge a deadly attack against its members last week.
Since March 30, at least 121 unarmed Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in protests near the Israeli apartheid fence separating Gaza and territories occupied in 1948. Palestinians are demanding their right to return to the homes and land their families were expelled from during the establishment of the Israeli entity in 1948.
Gaza - a territory of more than two million people - has been under a devastating Israeli-imposed blockade for the past 12 years, which has severely restricted the movement of Palestinians in and out of the territory.
Kuwait on Tuesday circulated a watered-down draft UN Security Council resolution on setting up an international protection mission for the Palestinians in a bid to win European support in a vote expected this week, diplomats said.
The council could hold a vote, possibly on Thursday, on the draft resolution that is expected to face a US veto.
Kuwait, a non-permanent council member that represents Arab countries, is hoping to win a high number of votes in favor of its proposal to highlight Washington’s isolation on the Israeli-Palestinian issue.
The revised draft drops an outright demand for an international protection mission and instead requests that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres present recommendations.
The new text “calls for the consideration of measures to guarantee the safety and protection of the Palestinian civilian population” in the occupied Palestinian territories and the Gaza Strip.
It requests that Guterres present a report within 60 days on proposals for the protection of Palestinian civilians including the establishment of an international mission.
France and Britain, two veto-wielding council members, have complained that the draft resolution lacked details on the scope and objective of the proposed protection mission.
The United States, meanwhile, claimed that the measure was biased against Israel during two expert-level meetings held last week, according to diplomatic sources.
Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon has slammed the proposed resolution as “shameful” and claimed it was designed to help Gaza’s rulers Hamas.
Kuwait put forward the draft resolution ten days ago after Israeli forced killed dozens of Palestinians during protests on the Gaza border and the United States opened its embassy in Occupied Jerusalem.
Negotiations however have been tough-going with the Europeans and Africans pressing for more information on the proposed protection mission, according to diplomats.
Diplomats have said the Palestinians may turn to the UN General Assembly if the draft resolution on protection fails to win Security Council backing.
The council is due to meet Wednesday at the request of the United States to discuss alleged Palestinian rocket firings on Israel from blockaded Gaza.
The council could hold a vote, possibly on Thursday, on the draft resolution that is expected to face a US veto.
Kuwait, a non-permanent council member that represents Arab countries, is hoping to win a high number of votes in favor of its proposal to highlight Washington’s isolation on the Israeli-Palestinian issue.
The revised draft drops an outright demand for an international protection mission and instead requests that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres present recommendations.
The new text “calls for the consideration of measures to guarantee the safety and protection of the Palestinian civilian population” in the occupied Palestinian territories and the Gaza Strip.
It requests that Guterres present a report within 60 days on proposals for the protection of Palestinian civilians including the establishment of an international mission.
France and Britain, two veto-wielding council members, have complained that the draft resolution lacked details on the scope and objective of the proposed protection mission.
The United States, meanwhile, claimed that the measure was biased against Israel during two expert-level meetings held last week, according to diplomatic sources.
Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon has slammed the proposed resolution as “shameful” and claimed it was designed to help Gaza’s rulers Hamas.
Kuwait put forward the draft resolution ten days ago after Israeli forced killed dozens of Palestinians during protests on the Gaza border and the United States opened its embassy in Occupied Jerusalem.
Negotiations however have been tough-going with the Europeans and Africans pressing for more information on the proposed protection mission, according to diplomats.
Diplomats have said the Palestinians may turn to the UN General Assembly if the draft resolution on protection fails to win Security Council backing.
The council is due to meet Wednesday at the request of the United States to discuss alleged Palestinian rocket firings on Israel from blockaded Gaza.
Violent clashes broke out on Wednesday afternoon between Palestinian youths and the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) after the latter raided Anabta town east of Tulkarem city in the northern West Bank.
Local sources told the PIC reporter that the IOF soldiers were deployed in large numbers in Anabta and on Tulkarem-Nablus road.
The sources added that the IOF soldiers heavily fired rubber-coated metal bullets and teargas canisters while the Palestinian youths responded by throwing stones.
Local sources told the PIC reporter that the IOF soldiers were deployed in large numbers in Anabta and on Tulkarem-Nablus road.
The sources added that the IOF soldiers heavily fired rubber-coated metal bullets and teargas canisters while the Palestinian youths responded by throwing stones.
Israeli soldiers invaded, on Wednesday at dawn, six Palestinians, including a father and his son, in the West Bank governorates of Ramallah and Hebron, during extensive military searches of homes.
Several armored Israeli military jeeps invaded Bil’in village, west of the central West Bank city of Ramallah, before the soldiers stormed homes, violently searched them and interrogated many Palestinians prior to abducting three of them.
Photojournalist Haitham Khatib, from Bil’in, said the soldiers abducted Khader Abu Rahma, 47, his son Issa Abu Rahma, 15, in addition to Mohammad Hamad, 25.
He added that the soldiers parked their military jeeps in front of his home and prevented him from documenting the ongoing invasion while threatening to shoot him when he approaches them during the invasion.
Furthermore, dozens of soldiers invaded Roq’a area, north of Yatta town, south of the southern West Bank city of Hebron, searched many homes and abducted Qussai Khaled al-‘Amour, 25, Shadi Na’im al-‘Amour, 27, and Ibrahim Okasha Makhamra, 24.
The soldiers also attacked and injured Amjad Makhamra, 27, before abducting his brother, Ibrahim.
The Palestinians, who were abducted in Hebron, were taken during and extensive Israeli military campaign, targeting dozens of homes and buildings, in several parts of Hebron governorate, in which the soldiers also confiscated a car and a mobile phone.
In addition, dozens of Israeli soldiers conducted extensive and violent searches of homes in the al-‘Isawiya town, in occupied Jerusalem, and abducted eleven Palestinians.
Several armored Israeli military jeeps invaded Bil’in village, west of the central West Bank city of Ramallah, before the soldiers stormed homes, violently searched them and interrogated many Palestinians prior to abducting three of them.
Photojournalist Haitham Khatib, from Bil’in, said the soldiers abducted Khader Abu Rahma, 47, his son Issa Abu Rahma, 15, in addition to Mohammad Hamad, 25.
He added that the soldiers parked their military jeeps in front of his home and prevented him from documenting the ongoing invasion while threatening to shoot him when he approaches them during the invasion.
Furthermore, dozens of soldiers invaded Roq’a area, north of Yatta town, south of the southern West Bank city of Hebron, searched many homes and abducted Qussai Khaled al-‘Amour, 25, Shadi Na’im al-‘Amour, 27, and Ibrahim Okasha Makhamra, 24.
The soldiers also attacked and injured Amjad Makhamra, 27, before abducting his brother, Ibrahim.
The Palestinians, who were abducted in Hebron, were taken during and extensive Israeli military campaign, targeting dozens of homes and buildings, in several parts of Hebron governorate, in which the soldiers also confiscated a car and a mobile phone.
In addition, dozens of Israeli soldiers conducted extensive and violent searches of homes in the al-‘Isawiya town, in occupied Jerusalem, and abducted eleven Palestinians.
American Ambassador to UN Nikki Haley condemns attacks out of Gaza at Israel's southern communities, saying Security Council should be 'outraged and respond,' calls to hold Palestinian leadership 'accountable'; Israel says not looking for escalation but warns Hamas it would retaliate if needed.
The United States has condemned the attacks out of Gaza and called for an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council in the wake of Palestinian rocket fire on Israel fired at Israel Tuesday.
US Ambassador Nikki Haley said the Security Council "should be outraged and respond."
The rocket and mortar firings from the Gaza Strip were claimed by Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, prompting Israel to respond with air strikes on bases of the terrorist Palestinian groups.
It was the worst flareup since the 2014 war between Israel in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
"Mortars fired by Palestinian militants hit civilian infrastructure, including a kindergarten," US Ambassador Nikki Haley said in a statement on Tuesday.
"The Security Council should be outraged and respond to this latest bout of violence directed at innocent Israeli civilians, and the Palestinian leadership needs to be held accountable for what they're allowing to happen in Gaza."
The United States circulated a draft statement calling on the council to condemn "in the strongest terms the indiscriminate firing of rockets by Palestinian militants in Gaza" toward Israel, according to a copy of the text seen by AFP.
The council will hear a report from UN envoy for the Middle East Nickolay Mladenov during the meeting scheduled for 3pm (7pm GMT) Wednesday.
Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon the planned meeting was a "positive step. But the Council's members must take serious action, and not make do with words."
He called on the Security Council to "strongly condemn Hamas and hold the terrorist organization accountable for these latest attacks in order to restore calmness and protect the citizens on both sides of the fence."
He further demanded the Council "to officially recognize Hamas as a terror group."
"For weeks we've warned that the violent rioting along the Gaza border—including planting explosives along the fence and live fire at our security forces—were not a s spontaneous protest, but a violent coordinated attack against Israel," Danon elaborated.
"The dozens of rockets and mortars fired at Israel leave no doubt about the intentions of those who have incited, encouraged and went as far as paying for those ongoing riots," the Israeli ambassador went on say.
The IDF has said it was not seeking an escalation, but warned Hamas—with whom it has fought three wars since 2008—to rein in its fighters. Three Israeli soldiers were wounded in the exchange of fire.
Islamic Jihad announced an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire agreement with Israel.
The confrontation followed weeks of deadly demonstrations and clashes along the Gaza-Israel border.
Dozens of Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the unrest.
The US-drafted council statement would demand that Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other militant groups "cease all violent activity and provocative actions, including along the boundary fence, and cease putting civilians at risk through their actions."
The council has been divided over the violence in Gaza and it was unclear whether the US-proposed statement would win full backing. Security Council statements are adopted by consensus by all 15 members.
Separately, council diplomats are negotiating a draft resolution, put forward by Kuwait, that calls for an "international protection mission" to be deployed for the Palestinians.
Diplomats said the United States is likely to use its veto to block adoption of that measure, but Kuwait is hoping to win backing from the 14 other council members to highlight Washington's isolation on the Israeli-Palestinian issue.
6 may Israeli warplane strikes blockaded Gaza
9 may IOF targets 2 resistance sites in Gaza
10 may Israeli navy attacks fishermen north and south of Gaza
12 may Israeli jets target generator, agricultural area in northern Gaza Strip
14 may Israeli airstrikes reported in northern Gaza
16 may Israeli tanks strike resistance posts east of Gaza
17 may Israeli warplanes hit blockaded Gaza with 7 rockets
20 may Israeli warships attack Gaza fishermen with machine gunfire
22 may Israeli Air Force Fires Missiles Targeting Boats In Gaza Port
22 may Israel military strikes resistance site in besieged Gaza Strip
27 may Update: Israeli Strikes Raise Death Toll to Three
28 may Palestinian Killed in Israeli Attack North of Gaza
More attacks
The United States has condemned the attacks out of Gaza and called for an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council in the wake of Palestinian rocket fire on Israel fired at Israel Tuesday.
US Ambassador Nikki Haley said the Security Council "should be outraged and respond."
The rocket and mortar firings from the Gaza Strip were claimed by Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, prompting Israel to respond with air strikes on bases of the terrorist Palestinian groups.
It was the worst flareup since the 2014 war between Israel in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
"Mortars fired by Palestinian militants hit civilian infrastructure, including a kindergarten," US Ambassador Nikki Haley said in a statement on Tuesday.
"The Security Council should be outraged and respond to this latest bout of violence directed at innocent Israeli civilians, and the Palestinian leadership needs to be held accountable for what they're allowing to happen in Gaza."
The United States circulated a draft statement calling on the council to condemn "in the strongest terms the indiscriminate firing of rockets by Palestinian militants in Gaza" toward Israel, according to a copy of the text seen by AFP.
The council will hear a report from UN envoy for the Middle East Nickolay Mladenov during the meeting scheduled for 3pm (7pm GMT) Wednesday.
Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon the planned meeting was a "positive step. But the Council's members must take serious action, and not make do with words."
He called on the Security Council to "strongly condemn Hamas and hold the terrorist organization accountable for these latest attacks in order to restore calmness and protect the citizens on both sides of the fence."
He further demanded the Council "to officially recognize Hamas as a terror group."
"For weeks we've warned that the violent rioting along the Gaza border—including planting explosives along the fence and live fire at our security forces—were not a s spontaneous protest, but a violent coordinated attack against Israel," Danon elaborated.
"The dozens of rockets and mortars fired at Israel leave no doubt about the intentions of those who have incited, encouraged and went as far as paying for those ongoing riots," the Israeli ambassador went on say.
The IDF has said it was not seeking an escalation, but warned Hamas—with whom it has fought three wars since 2008—to rein in its fighters. Three Israeli soldiers were wounded in the exchange of fire.
Islamic Jihad announced an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire agreement with Israel.
The confrontation followed weeks of deadly demonstrations and clashes along the Gaza-Israel border.
Dozens of Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the unrest.
The US-drafted council statement would demand that Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other militant groups "cease all violent activity and provocative actions, including along the boundary fence, and cease putting civilians at risk through their actions."
The council has been divided over the violence in Gaza and it was unclear whether the US-proposed statement would win full backing. Security Council statements are adopted by consensus by all 15 members.
Separately, council diplomats are negotiating a draft resolution, put forward by Kuwait, that calls for an "international protection mission" to be deployed for the Palestinians.
Diplomats said the United States is likely to use its veto to block adoption of that measure, but Kuwait is hoping to win backing from the 14 other council members to highlight Washington's isolation on the Israeli-Palestinian issue.
6 may Israeli warplane strikes blockaded Gaza
9 may IOF targets 2 resistance sites in Gaza
10 may Israeli navy attacks fishermen north and south of Gaza
12 may Israeli jets target generator, agricultural area in northern Gaza Strip
14 may Israeli airstrikes reported in northern Gaza
16 may Israeli tanks strike resistance posts east of Gaza
17 may Israeli warplanes hit blockaded Gaza with 7 rockets
20 may Israeli warships attack Gaza fishermen with machine gunfire
22 may Israeli Air Force Fires Missiles Targeting Boats In Gaza Port
22 may Israel military strikes resistance site in besieged Gaza Strip
27 may Update: Israeli Strikes Raise Death Toll to Three
28 may Palestinian Killed in Israeli Attack North of Gaza
More attacks
The Israeli army continued, on Wednesday at dawn, the firing of missiles, targeting several areas of the besieged Gaza Strip, in what Israel called “retaliation to shells fired from Gaza into Israeli communities, across the border fence.”
The Israeli Air Force fired at least three missiles into a site, run by an armed resistance group, west of Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
The Air Force also fired missiles into the port, east of Khan Younis, and a site in the eastern part of Sheja’eyya neighborhood, east Gaza city.
Furthermore, Israeli military drones fired three missiles into the “Civil Administration Center,” and two missiles into another site, run by the al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas.
Israel said several shells were fired from Gaza into communities in the Negev, Sha’ar HaNegev and Netivot, striking a number of buildings, including a shell reportedly landing in the yard of a kindergarten.
Israeli sources said one Israeli suffered a moderate injury, and four others sustained light wounds.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Jihad said a truce was reached under mediation from Egypt, but Israel denied the reports, and said, “no ceasefire was reached by any party with Hamas or the Islamic Jihad.”
According to the Palestinian Maan News Agency, an Israeli media analyst of Maariv said both Israel and Hamas are interested in a truce, but ” wants a truce before Israel retaliates, and Israel wants a truce after it retaliates.”
The Health Ministry in Gaza called on the Palestinians to remain alert, and to avoid entering areas targeted by the army.
The Israeli army said all the targeted sites in Gaza are “run by Hamas,” including tunnels, and various structures, and alleged that Hamas fired more than 80 shells.
On his part, Khalil al-Hayya, a political leader of Hamas said the movement, and all armed resistance groups, are committed to ceasefire, as long as Israel is committed to it.
Israeli leaders hold Hamas and the Islamic Jihad fully responsible for the escalation, although the two groups, and other armed resistance factions have refrained from firing shells or attacking Israeli targets until the military killed on Monday, Mohammad Masoud al-Radea’, 31, a member of the al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, when the army fired at least two shells at a site run by the group, in Beit Lahia town, in northern Gaza.
His death came just a day after the Israeli army fired several shells into a structure and Palestinian lands, between Rafah and Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, killing two members of the Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad, identified as Hussein Samir al-‘Amour, 25, and Abdul-Halim Abdul-Karim an-Naqa, 28.
A third Palestinian, identified as Naseem Marwan al-‘Amour, 20, was seriously injured in the Israeli strike, and died from his wounds at the European Hospital in Gaza.
The Israeli Air Force fired at least three missiles into a site, run by an armed resistance group, west of Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
The Air Force also fired missiles into the port, east of Khan Younis, and a site in the eastern part of Sheja’eyya neighborhood, east Gaza city.
Furthermore, Israeli military drones fired three missiles into the “Civil Administration Center,” and two missiles into another site, run by the al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas.
Israel said several shells were fired from Gaza into communities in the Negev, Sha’ar HaNegev and Netivot, striking a number of buildings, including a shell reportedly landing in the yard of a kindergarten.
Israeli sources said one Israeli suffered a moderate injury, and four others sustained light wounds.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Jihad said a truce was reached under mediation from Egypt, but Israel denied the reports, and said, “no ceasefire was reached by any party with Hamas or the Islamic Jihad.”
According to the Palestinian Maan News Agency, an Israeli media analyst of Maariv said both Israel and Hamas are interested in a truce, but ” wants a truce before Israel retaliates, and Israel wants a truce after it retaliates.”
The Health Ministry in Gaza called on the Palestinians to remain alert, and to avoid entering areas targeted by the army.
The Israeli army said all the targeted sites in Gaza are “run by Hamas,” including tunnels, and various structures, and alleged that Hamas fired more than 80 shells.
On his part, Khalil al-Hayya, a political leader of Hamas said the movement, and all armed resistance groups, are committed to ceasefire, as long as Israel is committed to it.
Israeli leaders hold Hamas and the Islamic Jihad fully responsible for the escalation, although the two groups, and other armed resistance factions have refrained from firing shells or attacking Israeli targets until the military killed on Monday, Mohammad Masoud al-Radea’, 31, a member of the al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, when the army fired at least two shells at a site run by the group, in Beit Lahia town, in northern Gaza.
His death came just a day after the Israeli army fired several shells into a structure and Palestinian lands, between Rafah and Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, killing two members of the Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad, identified as Hussein Samir al-‘Amour, 25, and Abdul-Halim Abdul-Karim an-Naqa, 28.
A third Palestinian, identified as Naseem Marwan al-‘Amour, 20, was seriously injured in the Israeli strike, and died from his wounds at the European Hospital in Gaza.