Israel mounted airstrikes in Palestine’s Gaza Strip on Wednesday, in the first attack since the end of 11 days of cross-border fighting last month, Reuters reported. The attack was in response to incendiary balloons launched from Palestinian territory.
In a statement, the Israeli army said it attacked compounds belonging to Palestinian militant group Hamas and that it was “ready for all scenarios, including renewed fighting in the face of continued terrorist acts emanating from Gaza”, reported Al Jazeera.
In a statement, the Israeli army said it attacked compounds belonging to Palestinian militant group Hamas and that it was “ready for all scenarios, including renewed fighting in the face of continued terrorist acts emanating from Gaza”, reported Al Jazeera.
The raids, the Israeli military said, were a response to balloons that caused 20 fires in open fields in communities near the Gaza border. A Hamas spokesman, confirming the Israeli attacks, said Palestinians would continue to pursue their “brave resistance and defend their rights and sacred sites” in Jerusalem.
It could not be confirmed yet if the airstrikes resulted in any casualty.
The attacks came less than a month after Israel and Hamas agreed on a ceasefire on May 21, bringing an end to 11 days of violence that left more than 240 people dead. Palestine suffered a majority of the casualties. The Hamas-controlled health ministry said 232 people were killed. Israel, meanwhile, claimed there are at least 150 Hamas militants among the dead in Gaza.
Earlier on Tuesday, thousands of Israelis congregated around the Damascus Gate of Jerusalem’s Old City, in what they called the “March of the Flags”, which marked the anniversary of the country’s 1967 occupation of the eastern part of Gaza.
Ahead of the march, Israeli police forcibly removed dozens of Palestinians from outside the Damascus Gate. At least 17 Palestinians were arrested and 33 others were wounded as Israeli police fired stun grenades in the surrounding areas, according to Al Jazeera.
In response, hundreds of Palestinians protested against the “provocative” march.
The march at Damascus Gate and the subsequent attacks came two days after right-wing leader Naftali Bennett took over as the new prime minister of Israel after an eight-party coalition came together to oust Benjamin Netanyahu, putting an end to his 12-year regime.
Those in Bennett’s support included four members of the Mansour Abbas-led United Arab List, which is the first party in an Israeli government to be drawn from the country’s 21% Arab minority, who are Palestinian by culture and heritage.
