7 may 2016
Israeli airstrikes continued on the southern Gaza Strip in the predawn hours Saturday for the fourth consecutive day, in response to an alleged projectile being shot into southern Israel.
Witnesses told Ma’an Israeli forces launched two airstrikes on open areas east of Khan Yunis. No injuries were reported.
In a statement released Saturday, the Israeli army said the airstrikes targeted two Hamas “terror infrastructures,” in retaliation for a rocket that was reportedly shot from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel.
Israeli army spokesperson Peter Lerner accused Hamas of carrying out the attack in the statement, and demanded that the party be “held accountable.” However, Hamas has not claimed any responsibility for the attacks.
The Israeli aerial offensive on the Gaza Strip began on Wednesday evening as Israeli authorities claimed airstrikes were carried out in response to mortar rounds that were launched from the besieged enclave since Tuesday at Israeli forces conducting “operational defense activities” in search of Hamas-built tunnels near the security fence.
Israeli forces launched several rounds of airstrikes in the Gaza Strip just hours after Palestinian and Israeli shelling was exchanged across the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel.
The latest round of airstrikes on the besieged enclave comes two days after Israeli shelling killed a Palestinian woman on Thursday and injured at least one other Palestinian woman.
Four Palestinians, including three children, were injured earlier in the day on Thursday when Israeli forces carried out several airstrikes across the small Palestinian territory, one of which hit a metal workshop in the al-Zaytoun neighborhood southeast of Gaza City. The strike injured 65-year-old Hassan Hassanien and three children from the family.
Deputy head of Hamas’ politburo Ismail Haniyeh addressed a crowd on Friday at the Abu Salim mosque in the central Gaza Strip, stating that “We do not call for a new war, but we will not allow these incursions or for new realities to be imposed on our people in Gaza. We call for lifting the siege. Enough of this historical injustice suffered by 2 million of our people."
Israeli military incursions inside the besieged Gaza Strip and near the “buffer zone” have long been a near-daily occurrence, marked by Israeli bulldozers leveling lands inside Gaza territory while accompanied by Israeli military vehicles.
Haniyeh said incursions inside Gaza territory are a grave violation of the Egypt-sponsored ceasefire reached in the summer of 2014 between Israel and the Gaza Strip following a devastating Israeli offensive on the Palestinian territory..
Hamas leader, Mousa Abu Marzouq, announced Thursday that Egypt was mediating peace efforts to restore the 2014 truce.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces also announced on Thursday that they uncovered a tunnel in southern Gaza, which they said may cross under the security fence between the Gaza Strip and southern Israel. It is the second tunnel uncovered since the devastating 2014 Israeli aerial offensive on the besieged enclave.
Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri urged all parties to accept their responsibilities and end the aggression on Gaza in a press statement released on Wednesday, adding that Israeli crimes would not “break the spirit of the Palestinian people.”
The Gaza Strip has been under a severe economic blockade imposed by Israel for decade. The blockade was imposed following the victory of Hamas in the 2006 Palestinian elections and the subsequent 2007 clashes between Fatah and Hamas, which left Hamas in control of the Gaza Strip and Fatah in control of the occupied West Bank.
IAF strikes Hamas targets in Gaza after rocket fired at Israeli civilians
Rocket falls in open area in Eshkol, causing no injuries or damage; it is the first rocket over the past week to target civilians rather than IDF forces, after some 16 mortar shells were launched at troops operating near the border.
Israel Air Force (IAF) fighter jets attacked two Hamas targets in the southern Gaza Strip early Saturday in retaliation for a rocket fired at Israeli civilians.
The rocket, fired shortly after midnight, exploded in an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council. No injuries or damage were reported. A Code Red rocket alert siren was sounded before the rocket fell.
So far over the past week, Hamas has been firing mortar shells only at IDF forces operating in the border fence area in search for border-crossing tunnels. The rocket fired overnight, which was aimed at civilian population in the Gaza border communities, constitutes an escalation in recent tensions in the area.
Over the past week, some 16 mortar shells were fired at IDF troops in at least 12 incidents, which is double the amount of mortar shells and rockets fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel since the beginning of 2016. The latest rocket fire against troops was on Friday morning, when two mortar shells were fired at forces operating near the border fence in southern Gaza. No one was hurt and no damage was reported. The IAF attacked Hamas observation posts in retaliation.
In light of the escalation on the border over the past week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened the security cabinet on Friday. The Prime Minister's Office said that the cabinet "received an update from security officials on IDF operations in recent days and on the discovery of the latest tunnel."
In a speech he made ahead of the Friday prayers, deputy Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh claimed that "We are not calling for a new war, but we will not allow incursions or imposing facts on the ground by Israel in Gaza."
Haniyeh explained that the Palestinians objected the Israeli prohibition on Palestinian traffic in the "perimeter," a 300-meter buffer zone inside the Strip and bordering the frontier.
"We say no to the perimeter inside of Gaza's borders, and Israel must understand this," he stated. "We are in contact with Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and also with the UN's (Special Coordinator for Middle East Peace Process) Nickolay Mladenov to bring an end to the Israeli escalation, and these efforts are continuing."
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah also talked about the escalation in Gaza on Friday, saying, "We need to direct the world's attention to the Israeli aggression, bombardment and operations in the Gaza Strip in recent days. Everyone must condemn it so Israel doesn't continue with its aggression."
Witnesses told Ma’an Israeli forces launched two airstrikes on open areas east of Khan Yunis. No injuries were reported.
In a statement released Saturday, the Israeli army said the airstrikes targeted two Hamas “terror infrastructures,” in retaliation for a rocket that was reportedly shot from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel.
Israeli army spokesperson Peter Lerner accused Hamas of carrying out the attack in the statement, and demanded that the party be “held accountable.” However, Hamas has not claimed any responsibility for the attacks.
The Israeli aerial offensive on the Gaza Strip began on Wednesday evening as Israeli authorities claimed airstrikes were carried out in response to mortar rounds that were launched from the besieged enclave since Tuesday at Israeli forces conducting “operational defense activities” in search of Hamas-built tunnels near the security fence.
Israeli forces launched several rounds of airstrikes in the Gaza Strip just hours after Palestinian and Israeli shelling was exchanged across the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel.
The latest round of airstrikes on the besieged enclave comes two days after Israeli shelling killed a Palestinian woman on Thursday and injured at least one other Palestinian woman.
Four Palestinians, including three children, were injured earlier in the day on Thursday when Israeli forces carried out several airstrikes across the small Palestinian territory, one of which hit a metal workshop in the al-Zaytoun neighborhood southeast of Gaza City. The strike injured 65-year-old Hassan Hassanien and three children from the family.
Deputy head of Hamas’ politburo Ismail Haniyeh addressed a crowd on Friday at the Abu Salim mosque in the central Gaza Strip, stating that “We do not call for a new war, but we will not allow these incursions or for new realities to be imposed on our people in Gaza. We call for lifting the siege. Enough of this historical injustice suffered by 2 million of our people."
Israeli military incursions inside the besieged Gaza Strip and near the “buffer zone” have long been a near-daily occurrence, marked by Israeli bulldozers leveling lands inside Gaza territory while accompanied by Israeli military vehicles.
Haniyeh said incursions inside Gaza territory are a grave violation of the Egypt-sponsored ceasefire reached in the summer of 2014 between Israel and the Gaza Strip following a devastating Israeli offensive on the Palestinian territory..
Hamas leader, Mousa Abu Marzouq, announced Thursday that Egypt was mediating peace efforts to restore the 2014 truce.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces also announced on Thursday that they uncovered a tunnel in southern Gaza, which they said may cross under the security fence between the Gaza Strip and southern Israel. It is the second tunnel uncovered since the devastating 2014 Israeli aerial offensive on the besieged enclave.
Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri urged all parties to accept their responsibilities and end the aggression on Gaza in a press statement released on Wednesday, adding that Israeli crimes would not “break the spirit of the Palestinian people.”
The Gaza Strip has been under a severe economic blockade imposed by Israel for decade. The blockade was imposed following the victory of Hamas in the 2006 Palestinian elections and the subsequent 2007 clashes between Fatah and Hamas, which left Hamas in control of the Gaza Strip and Fatah in control of the occupied West Bank.
IAF strikes Hamas targets in Gaza after rocket fired at Israeli civilians
Rocket falls in open area in Eshkol, causing no injuries or damage; it is the first rocket over the past week to target civilians rather than IDF forces, after some 16 mortar shells were launched at troops operating near the border.
Israel Air Force (IAF) fighter jets attacked two Hamas targets in the southern Gaza Strip early Saturday in retaliation for a rocket fired at Israeli civilians.
The rocket, fired shortly after midnight, exploded in an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council. No injuries or damage were reported. A Code Red rocket alert siren was sounded before the rocket fell.
So far over the past week, Hamas has been firing mortar shells only at IDF forces operating in the border fence area in search for border-crossing tunnels. The rocket fired overnight, which was aimed at civilian population in the Gaza border communities, constitutes an escalation in recent tensions in the area.
Over the past week, some 16 mortar shells were fired at IDF troops in at least 12 incidents, which is double the amount of mortar shells and rockets fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel since the beginning of 2016. The latest rocket fire against troops was on Friday morning, when two mortar shells were fired at forces operating near the border fence in southern Gaza. No one was hurt and no damage was reported. The IAF attacked Hamas observation posts in retaliation.
In light of the escalation on the border over the past week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened the security cabinet on Friday. The Prime Minister's Office said that the cabinet "received an update from security officials on IDF operations in recent days and on the discovery of the latest tunnel."
In a speech he made ahead of the Friday prayers, deputy Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh claimed that "We are not calling for a new war, but we will not allow incursions or imposing facts on the ground by Israel in Gaza."
Haniyeh explained that the Palestinians objected the Israeli prohibition on Palestinian traffic in the "perimeter," a 300-meter buffer zone inside the Strip and bordering the frontier.
"We say no to the perimeter inside of Gaza's borders, and Israel must understand this," he stated. "We are in contact with Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and also with the UN's (Special Coordinator for Middle East Peace Process) Nickolay Mladenov to bring an end to the Israeli escalation, and these efforts are continuing."
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah also talked about the escalation in Gaza on Friday, saying, "We need to direct the world's attention to the Israeli aggression, bombardment and operations in the Gaza Strip in recent days. Everyone must condemn it so Israel doesn't continue with its aggression."
The Israeli security cabinet on Friday convened for a special meeting to discuss the escalation of operational activities along the Gaza borderline at the pretext of looking for more underground tunnels.
According to the Hebrew website 0404, the four-hour meeting was held in Tel Aviv in the presence of premier Benjamin Netanyahu, war minister Moshe Ya'alon, chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot and head of the southern command Eyal Zamir.
The participants in the meeting stressed the need to retain military activities inside Gaza border areas around the clock to locate more tunnels and prevent attacks against Israeli troops.
Netanyahu's office said that the security cabinet received an update from the Israeli intelligence apparatuses about the military operation taking place on Gaza border.
During the last few days, the Israeli occupation army had carried out small-scale incursions into Gaza border areas as well as aerial attacks that claimed the life of a Palestinian woman and injured others. The Israeli military escalation prompted the Palestinian resistance to respond and launch several counterattacks.
According to the Hebrew website 0404, the four-hour meeting was held in Tel Aviv in the presence of premier Benjamin Netanyahu, war minister Moshe Ya'alon, chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot and head of the southern command Eyal Zamir.
The participants in the meeting stressed the need to retain military activities inside Gaza border areas around the clock to locate more tunnels and prevent attacks against Israeli troops.
Netanyahu's office said that the security cabinet received an update from the Israeli intelligence apparatuses about the military operation taking place on Gaza border.
During the last few days, the Israeli occupation army had carried out small-scale incursions into Gaza border areas as well as aerial attacks that claimed the life of a Palestinian woman and injured others. The Israeli military escalation prompted the Palestinian resistance to respond and launch several counterattacks.
6 may 2016
Israeli warplanes launched at dawn Friday airstrikes at an open area in Khuza’a town east of Khan Younis to the south of Gaza Strip, no injuries were initially reported, the PIC reporter said.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army radio claimed that three mortar shells were fired from Gaza Strip on Friday morning and targeted an Israeli patrol stationed at the southern borders of the Strip, without reporting any casualties.
Israeli forces also opened fire at and shelled agricultural lands south of the besieged Strip. No casualties were reported.
Earlier Thursday, a Palestinian elderly woman was killed and two young men were injured in Israeli artillery shelling east of Khan Younis city south of Gaza Strip, while Israeli warplanes continued to launch airstrikes on the southern border areas.
Tension continued to escalate in the besieged Gaza Strip since Wednesday afternoon after Israeli forces carried out several airstrikes and incursions in total violation of the ceasefire agreement reached in August 2014.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army radio claimed that three mortar shells were fired from Gaza Strip on Friday morning and targeted an Israeli patrol stationed at the southern borders of the Strip, without reporting any casualties.
Israeli forces also opened fire at and shelled agricultural lands south of the besieged Strip. No casualties were reported.
Earlier Thursday, a Palestinian elderly woman was killed and two young men were injured in Israeli artillery shelling east of Khan Younis city south of Gaza Strip, while Israeli warplanes continued to launch airstrikes on the southern border areas.
Tension continued to escalate in the besieged Gaza Strip since Wednesday afternoon after Israeli forces carried out several airstrikes and incursions in total violation of the ceasefire agreement reached in August 2014.
The Palestinian resistance has the right to respond to the Israeli escalation and violations of the truce deal in the blockaded Gaza Strip, the Islamic Jihad Movement and the popular resistance committees in the occupied Palestinian territories said on Thursday evening.
The Islamic Jihad warned of an Israeli escalation against Palestinian citizens, vowing that the Palestinian resistance will respond to any projected aggression. The movement mourned 59-year-old Zineh al-Amour who was killed in an Israeli aerial raid on Gaza Strip.
The popular resistance committees also condemned the Israeli incursions into Gaza’s eastern corners and aggression on Palestinian civilians in the besieged coastal enclave of Gaza.
The committees called on the Palestinian resistance to respond to the Israeli strikes and incursions. The elderly woman al-Amour and two other Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes on al-Fakhari town, to the east of Khan Younis. Four raids, artillery bombardments, and limited incursions were launched by the Israeli occupation army on the Gaza Strip.
Mortar shells were fired by the Palestinian resistance in response to the Israeli aggression.
The Islamic Jihad warned of an Israeli escalation against Palestinian citizens, vowing that the Palestinian resistance will respond to any projected aggression. The movement mourned 59-year-old Zineh al-Amour who was killed in an Israeli aerial raid on Gaza Strip.
The popular resistance committees also condemned the Israeli incursions into Gaza’s eastern corners and aggression on Palestinian civilians in the besieged coastal enclave of Gaza.
The committees called on the Palestinian resistance to respond to the Israeli strikes and incursions. The elderly woman al-Amour and two other Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes on al-Fakhari town, to the east of Khan Younis. Four raids, artillery bombardments, and limited incursions were launched by the Israeli occupation army on the Gaza Strip.
Mortar shells were fired by the Palestinian resistance in response to the Israeli aggression.
5 may 2016
The Islamic Jihad Movement has warned that the Palestinian resistance will not stand idly by watching Israel's escalation of its aggression against the Gaza Strip.
"The resistance is closely and carefully monitoring the development of events", spokesman for the Movement Dawoud Shihab stated on Wednesday.
Shihab, however, stressed that "the resistance is committed to defending and protecting the Palestinian people." "The resistance in Gaza will not allow the occupation to impose a new fait accompli through attacking the Strip, and the Palestinian people will not allow it to impose the policy of coexistence on Gaza," the spokesman said.
"The resistance is in a constant state of preparation for response to the occupation's crimes," he added. He pointed out that "Israel has tightened its blockade on Gaza and stopped the wheel of reconstruction that was moving very slowly because of its measures, while its persistent attacks have reached a serious level of escalation in Gaza, Jerusalem and the West Bank."
Since last Tuesday, tension has been mounting across the border fence, including an exchange of shells east of Gaza city and around Israel's Nahal Oz military base as well as in areas east of Rafah. The tension started after the Israeli army carried out several incursions into Gaza at the pretext of looking for tunnels.
Related: Elderly man injured in Israeli pre-dawn airstrikes on Gaza
"The resistance is closely and carefully monitoring the development of events", spokesman for the Movement Dawoud Shihab stated on Wednesday.
Shihab, however, stressed that "the resistance is committed to defending and protecting the Palestinian people." "The resistance in Gaza will not allow the occupation to impose a new fait accompli through attacking the Strip, and the Palestinian people will not allow it to impose the policy of coexistence on Gaza," the spokesman said.
"The resistance is in a constant state of preparation for response to the occupation's crimes," he added. He pointed out that "Israel has tightened its blockade on Gaza and stopped the wheel of reconstruction that was moving very slowly because of its measures, while its persistent attacks have reached a serious level of escalation in Gaza, Jerusalem and the West Bank."
Since last Tuesday, tension has been mounting across the border fence, including an exchange of shells east of Gaza city and around Israel's Nahal Oz military base as well as in areas east of Rafah. The tension started after the Israeli army carried out several incursions into Gaza at the pretext of looking for tunnels.
Related: Elderly man injured in Israeli pre-dawn airstrikes on Gaza
Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, has warned the Israeli occupation army that it would not allow it to persist in its current military incursions inside the Gaza Strip.
"The enemy should not give pretexts of any kind [to justify its actions], and should leave the Gaza Strip immediately," the Brigades stated in a communique on Wednesday.
"The enemy should address its fears outside our borders," it added "The Israeli incursions since Tuesday morning are considered a clear violation of the 2014 truce agreement and a new act of aggression against the Gaza Strip," its communique emphasized.
On Wednesday morning, the Israeli army carried out aerial and artillery attacks on Palestinian targets inside Gaza border areas and clashed with the resistance, which responded by firing mortar shells.
One day earlier, Israeli engineering units stormed different border areas of Gaza in the east and south, and have embarked since then on destroying and carrying out diggings on cultivated plots of lands.
"The enemy should not give pretexts of any kind [to justify its actions], and should leave the Gaza Strip immediately," the Brigades stated in a communique on Wednesday.
"The enemy should address its fears outside our borders," it added "The Israeli incursions since Tuesday morning are considered a clear violation of the 2014 truce agreement and a new act of aggression against the Gaza Strip," its communique emphasized.
On Wednesday morning, the Israeli army carried out aerial and artillery attacks on Palestinian targets inside Gaza border areas and clashed with the resistance, which responded by firing mortar shells.
One day earlier, Israeli engineering units stormed different border areas of Gaza in the east and south, and have embarked since then on destroying and carrying out diggings on cultivated plots of lands.
Various Palestinian factions, including Hamas and Fateh movements, have warned that the latest Israeli military escalation on Gaza, including the Wednesday bombardment of border areas in the southern part of the coastal region, could lead the area into a new full-fledged military escalation and war. Yet, while calling of de-escalation, Palestinian factions in Gaza say they will retaliate to further violations.
The factions, along with many political and military analysts, said the bombarded that targeted sites run by the armed resistance groups in Gaza, is a direct Israeli initiation of war, and a large military escalation.
They added that the current attempts to inflame the Gaza front comes while Israel continues and escalates its crimes against the Palestinians in the West Bank, including the field executions, and called on the International Community, especially the Egyptian mediator, to act now before the current escalation and violations turn into a war.
The Al-Qassam Brigades of Hamas said that the Israeli army bombarded one of its centers, east of the Sheja’eyya neighborhood, in Gaza, and another site east of Rafah, in the southern part of the coastal region, shortly after the army said an explosive charge detonated near a military vehicle, operating across the border fence.
Tension was also mounting across the border fence, including exchange of shells east of Gaza city, and around the Nahal Oz Israeli military base, in addition to areas east of Rafah.
The Israeli shells targeted two military towers, run by al-Qassam Brigades of Hamas and al-Quds Brigades of the Islamic Jihad, both east of the Sheja’eyya neighborhood, causing damage but no injuries. The shelling was seen as an attempt to drag both movements into a full military confrontation.
The army also fired shells targeting a military post of the Gaza’s Field Security Force, run by the Interior Ministry, and a monitoring post run by al-Qassam, east of Rafah.
Later in the day, the army fired three shells into the Power Authority Building, east of Gaza city, causing excessive property damage.
The Al-Qassam Brigades issued a press release stating that “since Tuesday morning, May 03 2015, Israeli Engineering Corps advanced first 150-200 meters east of Rafah, and 300 meters into its northern and southern parts, and also advanced 200 meters east of Gaza city, before bulldozing and uprooting Palestinian lands – and they are still doing that.”
“We hereby want to make it clear that this is a direct violation of the ceasefire agreement of 2014; we will not allow this to continue,” Al-Qassam added, “The enemy must not make excuses and justifications, and must stop instantly – it needs to deal with its fears and insecurities somewhere else.”
The Israeli army said its fired the shells after military vehicles, operating across the border fence, east of Gaza city and in the southern part of the coastal region, were targeted with shells.
Khaled al-Batsh, a senior political leader of the Islamic Jihad in Gaza, told the Maan News Agency that the recent Israeli military escalation aims at creating “new engagement rules” that violate the Egyptian-mediated ceasefire.
The official added that the resistance in Gaza will not allow Israel to present its daily invasions into border areas as a “new normal,” especially since these invasions and violations, including the attacks against Gaza fishers, are direct and serious violates of all ceasefire agreements.
He also said that the factions in Gaza are calling on Egypt to act immediately, before this tension turns into a new war.
Fayez Abu Aita, spokesperson of Fateh movement, said the Israeli escalation against Gaza is not a coincidence, as it comes parallel to the escalation, killings, daily invasions and abductions in the occupied West Bank.
“Israel is not interested in a peaceful solution; not interested in implementing what it agreed upon in all signed peace agreements,” Abu Aita said, “Whenever international countries try to pressure Tel Aviv into halting its violations, and resuming direct talks, it instantly resorts to military escalation.”
He warned that such an escalation on Gaza will lead to the death of innocent civilians, especially children, similar to what Israel did in its aggression of 2014, and demanded the International Community to act now, and provide the urgently needed protection to the Palestinian people, mainly in the impoverished, war-torn and besieged coastal region.
Member of the Political Bureau of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), Talal Abu Thareefa, said the current situation in Gaza, the siege, poverty and constant Israeli violations, in addition to the Israeli restrictions that are seriously slowing down the reconstruction of dozens of thousands of homes and buildings, bombarded by Israel in the aggression of 2014, and the high living coats amidst seriously high levels of unemployment, will just lead to more tension.
“Several armed resistance groups in Gaza have repeatedly said they are not interested in any military escalation and direct confrontation with Israel, and we don’t believe a war will take place soon,” Abu Thareefa said, “But armed factions in Gaza are sending messages to Israel, and the International Community, that they cannot remain idle while the army continues to invade, and continues its violations and escalation.”
He also said that the armed resistance groups, and all political factions, are calling for a speedy intervention, first by Arab countries and second by regional and international countries, to act fast and lift the siege on Gaza, and to speed the reconstruction in addition to obliging Israel to stop its daily violations, including the daily targeting of fishers in Palestinian territorial waters, and the targeting of farmers and workers in Palestinian lands, close to the border fence.
“We all know that such daily violations, constant attacks and escalation will just lead to a full explosion of this already fragile situation,” Abu Thareefa added, “Israel’s threats and military escalation are very serious, and they require all of us to end these internal divisions, achieve comprehensive unity, and come up with a unified national strategy.”
On his part, Mosheer al-Masri, a senior political leader of Hamas, warned that the current Israeli escalation is “testing the patience and readiness of armed factions in Gaza,” and added that this escalation is a very serious violation of the ceasefire agreement.
Mousa Abu Marzouq, also a senior political leader of Hamas, said that what is happening in Gaza’s eastern border is an Israeli attempt to force new facts on the ground, as the army wants to prevent the Palestinians from entering their lands near, and create this new buffer zone of 150 meters.
“This is why our courageous resistance fighters targeted the military vehicles and bulldozers, earlier today,” Abu Marzouq said, “Various factions then contacted Egypt, the ceasefire mediator and facilitator, to prevent further escalation and direct confrontation.”
Palestinian Political Analyst Mustafa Sawwaf told Maan that the resistance is still practicing a great deal of self-restraint, despite the repeated invasions and violations, but added “this does not mean that they will just accept the situation as it is.”
“This self-restraint will end if the Israeli violations continue” Sawwaf said, “Israel is trying to drag the resistance into a new war to appease its public, and to show them that the army has arms that can extend, and strike deep, in Gaza.”
Deputy head of the Political Bureau of Hamas Ismael Haniyya also warned that the continuation of the siege on Gaza, and the repeated invasions and violations, will just lead to further tension and escalation.
“Do not misread our patience in Gaza, we cannot accept that two million Palestinians remain under this deadly siege, under this intolerable suffering in this big prison,” Haniyya told thousands of Palestinians during a massive Hamas rally in Gaza, Wednesday.
In the 51-day Israeli aggression and onslaught on Gaza in the summer of 2014, the Israeli army killed more than 2200 Palestinians, and wounded more than 11000, mainly civilians, including entire families, children, infants and elderly, in addition to destroying dozens of thousands of homes, buildings, and destruction of infrastructure in the Gaza region.
Related; Israeli airstrikes, shells target Gaza borders
The factions, along with many political and military analysts, said the bombarded that targeted sites run by the armed resistance groups in Gaza, is a direct Israeli initiation of war, and a large military escalation.
They added that the current attempts to inflame the Gaza front comes while Israel continues and escalates its crimes against the Palestinians in the West Bank, including the field executions, and called on the International Community, especially the Egyptian mediator, to act now before the current escalation and violations turn into a war.
The Al-Qassam Brigades of Hamas said that the Israeli army bombarded one of its centers, east of the Sheja’eyya neighborhood, in Gaza, and another site east of Rafah, in the southern part of the coastal region, shortly after the army said an explosive charge detonated near a military vehicle, operating across the border fence.
Tension was also mounting across the border fence, including exchange of shells east of Gaza city, and around the Nahal Oz Israeli military base, in addition to areas east of Rafah.
The Israeli shells targeted two military towers, run by al-Qassam Brigades of Hamas and al-Quds Brigades of the Islamic Jihad, both east of the Sheja’eyya neighborhood, causing damage but no injuries. The shelling was seen as an attempt to drag both movements into a full military confrontation.
The army also fired shells targeting a military post of the Gaza’s Field Security Force, run by the Interior Ministry, and a monitoring post run by al-Qassam, east of Rafah.
Later in the day, the army fired three shells into the Power Authority Building, east of Gaza city, causing excessive property damage.
The Al-Qassam Brigades issued a press release stating that “since Tuesday morning, May 03 2015, Israeli Engineering Corps advanced first 150-200 meters east of Rafah, and 300 meters into its northern and southern parts, and also advanced 200 meters east of Gaza city, before bulldozing and uprooting Palestinian lands – and they are still doing that.”
“We hereby want to make it clear that this is a direct violation of the ceasefire agreement of 2014; we will not allow this to continue,” Al-Qassam added, “The enemy must not make excuses and justifications, and must stop instantly – it needs to deal with its fears and insecurities somewhere else.”
The Israeli army said its fired the shells after military vehicles, operating across the border fence, east of Gaza city and in the southern part of the coastal region, were targeted with shells.
Khaled al-Batsh, a senior political leader of the Islamic Jihad in Gaza, told the Maan News Agency that the recent Israeli military escalation aims at creating “new engagement rules” that violate the Egyptian-mediated ceasefire.
The official added that the resistance in Gaza will not allow Israel to present its daily invasions into border areas as a “new normal,” especially since these invasions and violations, including the attacks against Gaza fishers, are direct and serious violates of all ceasefire agreements.
He also said that the factions in Gaza are calling on Egypt to act immediately, before this tension turns into a new war.
Fayez Abu Aita, spokesperson of Fateh movement, said the Israeli escalation against Gaza is not a coincidence, as it comes parallel to the escalation, killings, daily invasions and abductions in the occupied West Bank.
“Israel is not interested in a peaceful solution; not interested in implementing what it agreed upon in all signed peace agreements,” Abu Aita said, “Whenever international countries try to pressure Tel Aviv into halting its violations, and resuming direct talks, it instantly resorts to military escalation.”
He warned that such an escalation on Gaza will lead to the death of innocent civilians, especially children, similar to what Israel did in its aggression of 2014, and demanded the International Community to act now, and provide the urgently needed protection to the Palestinian people, mainly in the impoverished, war-torn and besieged coastal region.
Member of the Political Bureau of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), Talal Abu Thareefa, said the current situation in Gaza, the siege, poverty and constant Israeli violations, in addition to the Israeli restrictions that are seriously slowing down the reconstruction of dozens of thousands of homes and buildings, bombarded by Israel in the aggression of 2014, and the high living coats amidst seriously high levels of unemployment, will just lead to more tension.
“Several armed resistance groups in Gaza have repeatedly said they are not interested in any military escalation and direct confrontation with Israel, and we don’t believe a war will take place soon,” Abu Thareefa said, “But armed factions in Gaza are sending messages to Israel, and the International Community, that they cannot remain idle while the army continues to invade, and continues its violations and escalation.”
He also said that the armed resistance groups, and all political factions, are calling for a speedy intervention, first by Arab countries and second by regional and international countries, to act fast and lift the siege on Gaza, and to speed the reconstruction in addition to obliging Israel to stop its daily violations, including the daily targeting of fishers in Palestinian territorial waters, and the targeting of farmers and workers in Palestinian lands, close to the border fence.
“We all know that such daily violations, constant attacks and escalation will just lead to a full explosion of this already fragile situation,” Abu Thareefa added, “Israel’s threats and military escalation are very serious, and they require all of us to end these internal divisions, achieve comprehensive unity, and come up with a unified national strategy.”
On his part, Mosheer al-Masri, a senior political leader of Hamas, warned that the current Israeli escalation is “testing the patience and readiness of armed factions in Gaza,” and added that this escalation is a very serious violation of the ceasefire agreement.
Mousa Abu Marzouq, also a senior political leader of Hamas, said that what is happening in Gaza’s eastern border is an Israeli attempt to force new facts on the ground, as the army wants to prevent the Palestinians from entering their lands near, and create this new buffer zone of 150 meters.
“This is why our courageous resistance fighters targeted the military vehicles and bulldozers, earlier today,” Abu Marzouq said, “Various factions then contacted Egypt, the ceasefire mediator and facilitator, to prevent further escalation and direct confrontation.”
Palestinian Political Analyst Mustafa Sawwaf told Maan that the resistance is still practicing a great deal of self-restraint, despite the repeated invasions and violations, but added “this does not mean that they will just accept the situation as it is.”
“This self-restraint will end if the Israeli violations continue” Sawwaf said, “Israel is trying to drag the resistance into a new war to appease its public, and to show them that the army has arms that can extend, and strike deep, in Gaza.”
Deputy head of the Political Bureau of Hamas Ismael Haniyya also warned that the continuation of the siege on Gaza, and the repeated invasions and violations, will just lead to further tension and escalation.
“Do not misread our patience in Gaza, we cannot accept that two million Palestinians remain under this deadly siege, under this intolerable suffering in this big prison,” Haniyya told thousands of Palestinians during a massive Hamas rally in Gaza, Wednesday.
In the 51-day Israeli aggression and onslaught on Gaza in the summer of 2014, the Israeli army killed more than 2200 Palestinians, and wounded more than 11000, mainly civilians, including entire families, children, infants and elderly, in addition to destroying dozens of thousands of homes, buildings, and destruction of infrastructure in the Gaza region.
Related; Israeli airstrikes, shells target Gaza borders
11 mar 2016
Israeli security reported that rockets launched from the Gaza Strip fell near the Israeli city of Sderot on Friday evening.
Israeli army spokesman Peter Lerner reported on social media that sirens were sounding in towns in the Negev desert.
At least three rockets landed near Sderot. The Israeli army said the rockets caused no injuries or material damage.
Israeli authorities hold Gaza's de facto leaders Hamas responsible for all attacks against Israeli targets coming from the Gaza Strip.
However, Hamas has not claimed responsibility for any rocket attacks since Israel’s devastating war in Gaza in 2014, and the movement has attempted to clamp down on armed activity by smaller political groups in the territory.
Israeli army spokesman Peter Lerner reported on social media that sirens were sounding in towns in the Negev desert.
At least three rockets landed near Sderot. The Israeli army said the rockets caused no injuries or material damage.
Israeli authorities hold Gaza's de facto leaders Hamas responsible for all attacks against Israeli targets coming from the Gaza Strip.
However, Hamas has not claimed responsibility for any rocket attacks since Israel’s devastating war in Gaza in 2014, and the movement has attempted to clamp down on armed activity by smaller political groups in the territory.
25 jan 2016
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) at dawn Monday launched two air strikes on southern and central Gaza Strip, in a flagrant violation of the Cairo-brokered ceasefire deal.
According to a PIC news reporter, Israeli fighter jets slammed two rockets into a Palestinian land in southwestern Khan Younis, in southern Gaza Strip, at 2.15 a.m.
Shortly afterwards, another air strike rocked Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza Strip.
Remarkable material damage has reportedly been inflicted on the area.
The raids were launched a few hours after the Israeli occupation army, overnight Sunday, claimed a rocket had hit an open area in Western Negev, in southern 1948 Occupied Palestine.
According to a PIC news reporter, Israeli fighter jets slammed two rockets into a Palestinian land in southwestern Khan Younis, in southern Gaza Strip, at 2.15 a.m.
Shortly afterwards, another air strike rocked Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza Strip.
Remarkable material damage has reportedly been inflicted on the area.
The raids were launched a few hours after the Israeli occupation army, overnight Sunday, claimed a rocket had hit an open area in Western Negev, in southern 1948 Occupied Palestine.
13 jan 2016
Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas threatened to retaliate against the Israeli continuous aggression on Gaza Strip and the Palestinian people.
In a statement on Wednesday, the spokesman of Hamas Sami Abu Zuhri held Israel responsible in full for the aggression on the northern Gaza Strip.
A young Palestinian man, Mousa Ezaiter, was killed and three others were injured on Wednesday morning in Israeli shelling to the west of Beit Lahya, according to the ministry of health.
Israeli sources declared the vicinity of the Gaza Strip as a military closed zone and warned settlers of approaching that area.
In a statement on Wednesday, the spokesman of Hamas Sami Abu Zuhri held Israel responsible in full for the aggression on the northern Gaza Strip.
A young Palestinian man, Mousa Ezaiter, was killed and three others were injured on Wednesday morning in Israeli shelling to the west of Beit Lahya, according to the ministry of health.
Israeli sources declared the vicinity of the Gaza Strip as a military closed zone and warned settlers of approaching that area.
1 jan 2016
Israeli soldiers shot and moderately injured, on Friday evening, two young Palestinian men, east of Jabalia refugee camp, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.
Medical sources said the two Palestinians were shot in their legs, and were moved to the Kamal Adwan Hospital, in northern Gaza.
Dozens of Palestinians protested near the border fence, in northern Gaza, before the army fired live rounds, rubber-coated steel bullets and gas bombs. The youngsters hurled stones and empty bottles on the soldiers, stationed behind the border fence.
On Friday at night, the Israeli Air Force fired missiles into a Qassam Brigades center, causing damage; no casualties reported.
According to Israeli reports, several shells were fired from Gaza, on Friday evening, hitting open areas in Sderot and Sha'ar HaNegev.
The Israeli army said four shells were fired from Gaza, and that two of them did not make it across the border fence, and two landed in open areas in Sderot and Sha'ar HaNegev.
Medical sources said the two Palestinians were shot in their legs, and were moved to the Kamal Adwan Hospital, in northern Gaza.
Dozens of Palestinians protested near the border fence, in northern Gaza, before the army fired live rounds, rubber-coated steel bullets and gas bombs. The youngsters hurled stones and empty bottles on the soldiers, stationed behind the border fence.
On Friday at night, the Israeli Air Force fired missiles into a Qassam Brigades center, causing damage; no casualties reported.
According to Israeli reports, several shells were fired from Gaza, on Friday evening, hitting open areas in Sderot and Sha'ar HaNegev.
The Israeli army said four shells were fired from Gaza, and that two of them did not make it across the border fence, and two landed in open areas in Sderot and Sha'ar HaNegev.
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