The Gaza truce mostly follows heavy Israeli strikes, Hamas rocket fire



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Gaza City, Palestinian Territories – A cease-fire announced by Hamas is widely held on Sunday after the most violent exchange of fire between Israel and Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip since the war of 2014, soothing the fears of a wider conflict. The Islamist movement that leads the blockade of the Gaza Strip announced last Saturday that a ceasefire had been concluded with the help of Egypt and other countries, although that Israel refused to comment.

The UN envoy to the Middle East Nickolay Mladenov and "working with all parties concerned to defuse the situation," said a UN official under the guise of anonymity .

At a press conference, he called "everyone to back off". In an incident on Sunday, an Israeli plane fired on militants firing balloons carrying incendiary bombs over the border fence of Gaza. On Saturday, dozens of Israeli air strikes killed two Palestinians, while some 200 rockets and mortars were fired from the Israeli enclave.

Four Israelis were injured when a rocket struck an enemy. The two Palestinians killed were aged 15 and 16, beaten by an Israeli strike against a building in Gaza City, the enclave's health ministry said.

Five people were injured in Gaza, according to the newspaper.

"The hardest shot"

Hamas claimed to have fired on Israel to counter air strikes, Hamas leader Ismail Haniya said Sunday at the funeral of the two teenagers that the movement would defy Israel through border demonstrations until the blockade is lifted.

This blood will not be poured for nothing, "he said hundreds of mourners." The enemy will not escape the punishment of heroic resistance. "

The mother of Amir al-Namra, the 15-year-old killed, said: "He just went out for a walk. Israel has accused Hamas of being responsible for this escalation, highlighting months of protests and clashes along the border that its military says the Islamist movement is seeking to use as cover for attacks.

Hundreds of fires in Israeli farms caused by kites and balloons carrying incendiary bombs from Gaza, causing political pressure on the government and the army for what they take measures against Hamas.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: since 1965

He declared that Israel would not accept a ceasefire "that would allow the continuation of terrorism by incendiary kites and balloons ".

"We are not ready to accept attacks on us," he said.

Violent smoke plumes exploded in parts of the Gaza Strip on Saturday as Israel struck dozens of militant targets, including a five-storey unoccupied building that Hamas reportedly used as a center. drive with a tunnel underneath.

The Israeli army said the strikes targeted Hamas military installations, including battalion headquarters, training facilities and weapons storage areas. the Palestinian enclave in neighboring communities.

Israel said its air defenses intercepted about 30 of some 200 rockets and mortars.

Months of Tension

Tensions have been building between Hamas and Israel for months on demonstrations and clashes along the border fence. The two sides have already fought three wars since 2008.

Since protests and clashes erupted along the border on March 30, at least 141 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli gunfire

. Protests and clashes, but others sought to break or damage the border fence.

No Israeli was killed.

The incendiary balloons and kites of Gaza caused 750 fires and burned 2,600 hectares, leading to hundreds of thousands of people. According to the Israeli fire department, on July 9, Israel closed its only goods with the Gaza Strip in response to the fires.

Hamas described this movement as a "crime against humanity", with Gaza already suffering from deep poverty and worsening humanitarian conditions.

Border demonstrations peaked on May 14, when the United States moved their Israeli embbady to the disputed city of Jerusalem, but continued at a lower level ever since.

Israeli soldiers shot dead two Palestinians, including one teenager, and wounded hundreds of others in border clashes.

An Israeli soldier was slightly injured by a grenade thrown into the northern Gaza Strip. Israel says its use of live fire is necessary to defend its borders and stop infiltrations. Palestinians and rights groups say unarmed protesters are shot dead while they are not really threatened.

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