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JERUSALEM – A new wave of fighting erupted Sunday between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip, killing at least six people, while Israel and Hamas appeared to be making progress in reducing the months of violence in the Gaza Strip. border.
Hamas said that a "security incident" had left "several" dead and wounded, while the Israeli army said that an "exchange of fire" had occurred during the summer. Operational activity in Gaza. The Palestinian Ministry of Health said six militants were killed and six others injured, while air raid sirens announced the arrival of new rockets in southern Israel near Gaza.
Sunday's development broke what appeared to be a turning point after months of bloodshed along the Israel-Gaza border, with weekly Hamas-led demonstrations that brought thousands of people to the fence. of the perimeter with Israel. More than 160 Palestinians were killed by Israeli gunfire during border demonstrations, during which Palestinians threw stones, burned tires and grenades at Israeli troops.
Last week, Israel allowed Qatar to provide $ 15 million in aid to Hamas' money – ridden leaders. Hamas reacted by reducing the intensity of Friday's demonstration at the border.
Earlier on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended his decision to allow the transfer of Qatari money, rejecting criticisms that the movement would have strengthened the militant Islamist group.
Netanyahu told the press that it was "the right step" for the moment and that he was determined to restore calm along the border between Israel and Gaza and to prevent a humanitarian crisis in the territory. Palestinian coastal area.
"Every action, without exception, has a price," he said. "If you can not handle the price, you can not drive, and I can handle the price."
Israeli critics, including members of Netanyahu's extremist coalition, accused him of capitulating to the violence and rescuing the besieged Hamas group.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, backed by the international community, whose forces lost control of Gaza to Hamas in 2007, angrily accused the United States and Israel of being involved in a "conspiracy" aimed at to permanently separate Gaza from the West Bank. He promised to take unspecified measures against his rivals Hamas in the coming days.
Hamas leaders in Gaza said the arrival of $ 15 million in three suitcases by a Qatari diplomat last week was their first major gain, with more than seven months of weekly demonstrations along the way. perimeter fence.
Hamas has been leading demonstrations since March 30 in an effort to lift the crippling Israeli-Egyptian blockade imposed in 2007 with the aim of weakening the militant group. The blockade has resulted in over 50% unemployment and chronic power outages, preventing most Gazans from leaving this small territory.
Israel says it defends its border against militants' infiltration, but its army is under fire from international critics because of the large number of unarmed protesters who have been shot dead.
As Hamas threatened to escalate protests and international officials warned of an impending humanitarian crisis, Netanyahu on Thursday authorized the payment of money to Gaza. This is the first payment of $ 90 million that Qatar has pledged to cover the salaries of thousands of unpaid Hamas employees for six months.
Israeli opposition figures criticized Netanyahu for appearing to yield to violence. Army radio aired 10-year-old Netanyahu sound bites while he was the leader of the opposition, threatening to carry out fierce action against Hamas and criticizing his predecessor for being too soft.
Even his former allies attacked him for indirectly doing business with a militant group that waged three wars against Israel and is sworn to Israel's destruction.
"Everyone knows where this money will eventually go," said Uri Ariel, Minister of Agriculture Netanyahu.
Before going to Paris, however, Netanyahu told reporters that the issue was "an issue of alternatives". He said the initiative had been coordinated with security officials to restore calm for Israeli citizens living near the Gaza border and avert a humanitarian crisis.
Later, at a press conference in Paris, Netanyahu said that there could be no political resolution as long as Hamas was in power.
"You can not have a political resolution with those who are attached to your dissolution, to your destruction. It's absurd, "he said. The alternative is to "do the minimum necessary to maintain our security and prevent the collapse of the humanitarian situation," he added.
The payment is part of what should be a set of informal agreements between Israel and Hamas, obtained through Egyptian and American mediation.
Hamas calls for the widening of the authorized fishing zone off the Gaza Strip under Israeli control, an uninterrupted flow of fuel to alleviate chronic power shortages and the lifting of Israel's restrictions on exports and imports. In return, Israel wants the peace and the end of the demonstrations at the border.
For the second consecutive week, the Palestinians carefully controlled Friday's demonstrations, burned fewer tires and avoided crossing the fence.
In the West Bank, Abbas angrily accused Israel and the United States of being tied behind his back to strengthen Hamas control over Gaza. He also accused Hamas of undermining its goal of establishing an independent Palestinian state that includes the entire West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Abbas worries that the United States is preparing to present a peace plan, called "accord of the century" by President Donald Trump, which would leave Hamas under Gaza control and give it only autonomy. limited in parts of the West Bank.
"We will take tough measures (against Hamas) in the coming days," Abbas said.
"There is an American conspiracy, the" Deal of the Century, "and an Israeli plot to implement the" Deal of the Century, "" he said. "To my dismay, there is another Hamas conspiracy to thwart the independent state."
Abbas, speaking at a ceremony marking the 14th anniversary of the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, did not say what steps he could take against Hamas.
Abbas has repeatedly limited his financial aid to Gaza to pressure Hamas to restore control.
In the West Bank, hundreds of Palestinians attended the funeral of Mohammed Shreteh, a 27-year-old Palestinian man who died of his head injuries after being shot in clashes with Israeli troops there. has two weeks.
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Associated press reporter Josef Federman reported in Jerusalem and the journalist of the PA, Mohammed Daraghmeh, of Ramallah, in the West Bank. AP writer Fares Akram in Gaza in the Gaza Strip contributed to this report.
Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, disseminated, rewritten or redistributed.
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