Gaza Truce Mostly Holds After Heavy Israel Strikes, Hamas Rocket Fire
Mohammad Ali (@ChaudhryMAli88) Published July 15, 2018 | 09:39 PM
Gaza City, Palestinian Territories, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Jul, 2018 ) :A ceasefire announced by Hamas largely held Sunday after the most severe exchange of fire between Israel and Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip since a 2014 war, easing fears of a wider conflict for now.
Hamas, the Islamist movement that runs the blockaded Gaza Strip, said late Saturday a ceasefire had been reached with the help of Egypt and others, though Israel declined to comment.
The United Nations' middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov was in Gaza and "working with all concerned parties to de-escalate the situation," a UN official said on condition of anonymity.
In a press conference, he called on "everybody to step back from the brink".
Despite a few lower-level exchanges of fire, relative calm returned to the Gaza Strip.
In one incident on Sunday, an Israeli aircraft fired at what it said was militants launching balloons carrying firebombs over the Gaza border fence. It was not clear if there were casualties.
Saturday saw dozens of Israeli air strikes, killing two Palestinians, while some 200 rockets and mortars were fired from the enclave at Israel.
Four Israelis were wounded when a rocket hit a house in the city of Sderot near the Gaza Strip, authorities said.
The two Palestinians killed were aged 15 and 16, caught in an Israeli strike on a building in Gaza City, the enclave's health ministry said.
Twenty-five people were wounded across Gaza, it said.
Hamas said it fired at Israel in defence in response to air strikes, which came after a soldier was wounded by a grenade along the Gaza border.
Hamas leader Ismail Haniya said Sunday at the funeral for the two teenagers that the movement would challenge Israel with border protests until the blockade is lifted.
"This blood will not be shed for nothing," he told hundreds of mourners. "The enemy will not escape the punishment of the heroic resistance." The mother of Amir al-Namra, the 15-year-old killed, said: "He just went out for walk. What did he and his friend do for them to be killed?" Israel blamed Hamas for the escalation, pointing to months of protests and clashes along the border that its military argues the Islamist movement is seeking to use as cover for attacks.
There have also been hundreds of fires at Israeli farms caused by kites and balloons carrying firebombs from Gaza, leading to political pressure on the government and military to take action against Hamas.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Hamas had been hit with "the hardest blow" since a 2014 war.
He said Israel would not accept a ceasefire "that would allow the continuation of terrorism by incendiary kites and balloons".
Thick plumes of smoke had risen over parts of the Gaza Strip on Saturday as Israel hit dozens of targets it said belonged to militants, including a five-storey unoccupied building allegedly used by Hamas as a training facility with a tunnel underneath.
The army said the strikes targeted Hamas military facilities, including a battalion headquarters, training facilities and weapons storage areas.
In Israel, air raid sirens on Saturday sent people rushing to shelters in areas surrounding the Gaza Strip as rockets and mortars were fired from the Palestinian enclave at nearby communities.
Israel said its air defences intercepted around 30 of the some 200 rockets and mortars fired.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Stern action against overloaded vehicles ordered
Italian ambassador calls on governor, visits Quaid's room
Village committees assures support to govt in maintaining peace
Randhawa directs to clean all nullah's of Islamabad before monsoon
Tourists, locals enjoy traditional sports, music in Qaqlasht Festival
Rescuers hold mock drills
May 9 was a planned conspiracy: Khawaja Asif
US blames Rwanda for deadly attack on displaced camp in DR Congo
Rs.812.4 million fine imposed on 7774 power pilferers
Governor Mohammed Kamran Khan Tessori administers anti-polio drops to his son
President Asif Ali Zardari approves appointments of Governors
PCB, franchise owners discuss window for PSL 2025
More Stories From World
-
US blames Rwanda for deadly attack on displaced camp in DR Congo
22 minutes ago -
Reds beat Crusaders to break 25-year Christchurch drought
1 hour ago -
Ukraine wants to be 'visible' in Eurovision clouded by Israel
2 hours ago -
Reps from 12 countries, organizations express willingness to deepen space cooperation before Chang'e ..
3 hours ago -
UK's ruling Conservatives brace for more losses in local elections
3 hours ago -
Modi’s hit squads operating in Canada threaten national security: Pannun
3 hours ago
-
Flood-hit Kenya and Tanzania buffeted by tropical cyclone
3 hours ago -
Boeing's Starliner finally ready for first crewed mission
3 hours ago -
Ambassador Hashmi speaks highly of Chang'e 6 project
3 hours ago -
Traffic accident kills two, injures 13 in Afghanistan
4 hours ago -
Tunisia calls for more investments in economic zones
4 hours ago -
Japanese, Brazilian leaders agree to protect Amazon rainforest
4 hours ago