Israel Bombs Hamas Sites in Gaza After Protests
- Israel Bombs Hamas Sites in Gaza After Protests
by https://www.aljazeera.com/
Palestinians say they are resuming the demonstrations to press Israel to ease restrictions on the enclave.
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The Israeli military says its aircraft struck Hamas sites in Gaza early in response to incendiary balloons launched from the besieged Palestinian enclave as a recent rise in violence tests a fragile truce that ended a deadly assault on Gaza in May.
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The army said on Sunday hundreds of Palestinians gathered along the separation barrier between Israel and the Gaza Strip during the night, hurling explosives and burning tyres and that troops responded with “riot dispersal means”.
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Palestinian groups had announced on Saturday they were resuming protests at the separation barrier, aiming to press Israel to ease punishing restrictions on the isolated territory. Protests erupted later that day, with the Israeli army firing live rounds, tear gas, and stun grenades as Palestinians burned tyres. The health ministry in Gaza said 11 Palestinians had been hurt in the clashes, three of them by live rounds.
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“The [air] strikes were in response to Hamas launching incendiary balloons into Israeli territory and the violent riots that took place yesterday,” a statement from the Israeli army said. Israel and Egypt have maintained a blockade on the Gaza Strip since Hamas began governing Gaza in 2007 after winning Palestinian elections. There have been four violent confrontations between Israel and Hamas since, the most recent being May’s assault.
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The blockade restricts the movement of goods and people in and out of Gaza and has ravaged the territory’s economy and harming the population of two million. Palestinians said the demonstration was the first in a series of nighttime protests and would continue throughout the week. “The occupation will not enjoy calm unless the siege on our beloved land is lifted,” said Abu Omar, a spokesman for the protesters.
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‘Operate according to our interests’
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said early Sunday: “We will operate in Gaza according to our interests.”
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9 … and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a [a]synagogue of Satan.
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