OCCUPIED JERUSALEM/GAZA — Israeli occupation
forces launched airstrikes on Gaza early Sunday in response to “incendiary
balloons” launched from the Palestinian enclave, Israeli forces said, as a
recent rise in cross-border violence tests a fragile truce that ended fierce
fighting in May.
اضافة اعلان
Palestinian groups said on Saturday they were resuming
protests at the Israel-
Gaza border, aimed at pressing Israel to ease
restrictions on the enclave. The Israeli occupation forces said hundreds of
Palestinians gathered along the frontier during the night, hurling explosives,
and burning tires.
Israel said its troops responded with "riot dispersal
means" and Gaza medics said at least six Palestinians were hurt, one
seriously. A few hours later, Israeli pre-dawn airstrikes targeted a Hamas
weapons manufacturing complex and a tunnel it said was used by militants, after
incendiary balloons were sent across the border.
There were no reports of casualties in the bombings.
An Egyptian-mediated truce ended the May conflict in which
Israel launched airstrikes against Gaza and Palestinian militants fired rockets
into Israel. At least 250 Palestinians and 13 people in Israel were killed in
11 days of fighting.
But violence has recently increased despite an Israeli
announcement this month of a resumption of Qatari aid to Gaza, a decision that
had been seen as bolstering the truce.
Palestinian groups say Israel has yet to make good on its
word and over the past two weeks militants have fired a rocket and sent
balloons carrying incendiary material into Israel, setting off brush fires and
drawing Israeli strikes on Hamas facilities.
Citing security threats, Israel keeps Gaza under a blockade,
tightly restricting movement in and out of the territory that is home to 2
million Palestinians. Egypt also maintains Gaza restrictions.
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