The Israeli army strikes Gaza targets after a soldier has been shot dead near the border fence

JERUSALEM – The Israeli army said it launched a "large-scale" attack on Gaza. Friday after one of his soldiers was shot dead near the border fence of the Palestinian territory, stoking fears of a new conflict.

The incident marked the first time that an Israeli soldier had been killed during months of violence at the fence. More than 130 Palestinians were killed during this period as Israel was deploying snipers and snipers against protests that it said were a cover for violent attacks [19659004]. Hamas, which controls the enclave, said three members of its military wing had been killed. The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza said that a protester had also been shot dead by Israeli forces on the fence earlier in the day.

"It was a very serious event that we can not tolerate," said the spokesman for the Israeli army. Jonathan Conricus

Tensions between Israel and Hamas, who have already fought three wars, have erupted in recent weeks. Efforts to negotiate a ceasefire have stumbled on the continuing practice of Palestinians launching kites and balloons from Gaza into Israel.

The last weekend was marked by the most violent fighting since the last Gaza war in 2014. [19659008] Conricus said that he had no details about the Palestinian faction that led the attack, but that Israel holds Hamas responsible for all attacks from Gaza. Later Friday night, rocket sirens rang in southern Israel, and the army said it detected at least three shots from Gaza, including two intercepted. "Everybody in Gaza has to pull out," tweeted Middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov, one of those trying to negotiate a ceasefire. "Not next week, not tomorrow, now, those who want to provoke Palestinians and Israelis into another war must not succeed."

Israel, the United Nations, and the United States have all urged that Economic aid to Gaza is achieving some stability. But there have been disagreements on how to do this, with concern in many quarters that aid should not support Hamas.

Gaza has been under siege for more than a decade, with Israel imposing strict restrictions on goods and movements. Egypt opens only sporadically its border. As friction has increased over the last few weeks, Israel has further restricted the movement of goods through Kerem Shalom, the main point of transit for goods with Gaza.

Balousha brought back from Gaza.

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