At least 20 dead in Gaza in new spike in violence between Israelis and Palestinians

At least twenty Palestinians, including nine children, died in the Gaza Strip and 65 were injured escalating violence with Israel, which included massive rocket fire from the enclave, which raised alarm bells in a tense Jerusalem.

The Israeli army bombed in response in the Gaza Strip, although he cannot guarantee that all the deceased were due to these attacks. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Palestinian fire crossed a “red line” today, as anti-aircraft alarms continued to sound in different parts of Israel.

As expected, and after weeks of riots in Jerusalem, the holy city woke up on Monday with great tension and the storming of Israeli police into the mosque plaza, which left more than 300 injured in clashes.

Skirmishes at the Damascus Gate, one of the main entrances to the walled city, also began in the morning when dozens of Palestinians gathered. to prevent the passage of an ultra-nationalist Jewish march through occupied East Jerusalem.

Meanwhile, Ezdin al Qasam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, issued an ultimatum to Israel to withdraw police from the Esplanade and the Seij Yarrah neighborhood in Jerusalem, also with daily protests, and release the detainees In riots these days

Shortly after the threat deadline was reached, anti-aircraft alarms sounded in Jerusalem, something that hadn’t happened since 2014.

Gaza rockets

The armed wing of Hamas fired seven projectiles, six of which aimed at Jerusalem, one of which was intercepted, another fell into a house on the outskirts of the city, and the rest in uninhabited areas. The explosions were heard all over town.

Palestinian militias joined the launch and throughout the afternoon they recorded more than 50 shots, in particular against the Israeli communities bordering the Gaza Strip.

In addition, the Islamist Palestinian Islamic Jihad group claimed responsibility for launching an anti-tank missile at an Israeli vehicle, slightly injuring a civilian.

“We have the ability, the authority and the intention to deal a blow to Hamasan IDF spokesperson said in response to the shooting, predicting that “the escalation will last a long time.”

A military spokesperson confirmed bombings against targets of Hamas, which de facto controls the enclave, and targeted attacks. that they killed three militiamen.

Witnesses from Beit Hanun, where one of the explosions occurred, said minors and other Palestinians were killed. This was caused by the launch of a broken rocket that landed on a house. The enclave’s health ministry confirmed the deaths of 20 people and reported that the number of injured had reached 65.

Tension in Jerusalem

The tension in the holy city led the Israeli police to hijack the course of the ultranationalist march at the last minute The Jews who commemorate Jerusalem Day every year, for which they envision the reunification of the city in 1967, which for the Palestinian population was the beginning of the occupation.

However, riots continued around the Old City and at the sound of anti-aircraft alarms, Palestinians gathered at Damascus Gate. they celebrated the rocket fire from Gaza.

The Western Wall, the main place of Jewish worship and where the march ended, which was interrupted, was temporarily evacuated.

The situation in occupied East Jerusalem was the trigger for this new conflict between Palestinians and Israelis. With the start of Ramadan, the blockade of the steps of the Damascus Gate, which was later lifted, generated a protest movement among young people that grew to lead to daily clashes with the Israeli police.

In parallel, the Seij Yarrah district, also in the eastern part of the city, has been recording daily events for weeks against the possible expulsion of Palestinian families for the benefit of Jewish organizations.

The storming of Israeli police into the plaza and Al Aqsa Mosque – Islam’s third holiest site – last Friday and this morning with hundreds injured also heightened tension.

West Bank and Arab communities in Israel they also organized demonstrations in support of the riots in Jerusalem.

“We are in a fight that has spread on several fronts: Jerusalem, Gaza and other parts of the country,” Netanyahu admitted today and warned that Israel “will respond with force” and will not allow “d ‘damage our land, our capital, our citizens and our soldiers. “

Source: EFE and AFP

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