19 feb 2014
Hebrew sources claimed that the Israeli occupation army discovered on Tuesday morning an explosive device planted on the southern borders of the Gaza Strip and neutralized it. The sources reported that the Israeli army uncovered "a powerful bomb" during its activity in the region, planted by Palestinian resistance fighters near the separation fence southern Gaza.
They said that elements of the Palestinian resistance are exploiting the area near the fence to plant explosives targeting the Israeli soldiers and settlers..
The occupation forces have carried out small-scale incursion into an eastern area in Khan Younis district of the Gaza Strip, while the Palestinian resistance launched mortar attacks on the invading troops and forced them back
They said that elements of the Palestinian resistance are exploiting the area near the fence to plant explosives targeting the Israeli soldiers and settlers..
The occupation forces have carried out small-scale incursion into an eastern area in Khan Younis district of the Gaza Strip, while the Palestinian resistance launched mortar attacks on the invading troops and forced them back
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) on Tuesday evening carried out a small-scale incursion into an eastern area in Khan Younis district of the Gaza Strip following a similar one earlier morning. Local sources told the Palestinian information center (PIC) that the invading troops came from Kissufim military post to the east of Qarara area in Khan Younis district.
They added that several armored bulldozers under military land and aerial cover embarked on leveling the area.
This was the second Israeli incursion after the IOF invaded the eastern parts of the Khan Younis on the morning of the same day and carried similar bulldozing activities.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian resistance launched during the two incursions mortar attacks on the invading troops and forced them back.
They added that several armored bulldozers under military land and aerial cover embarked on leveling the area.
This was the second Israeli incursion after the IOF invaded the eastern parts of the Khan Younis on the morning of the same day and carried similar bulldozing activities.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian resistance launched during the two incursions mortar attacks on the invading troops and forced them back.
18 feb 2014
The prime minister of the Hamas-run government in Gaza sent a secret message to his Israeli counterpart asking to avoid military action in response to rocket fire, Israeli media reported Tuesday.
Ismail Haniyeh's office denied the report by the Hebrew-language news site Walla.
According to Walla, Haniyeh sent his message to Netanyahu two weeks ago via Israeli mediator Gershon Baskin who had previously organized a secret back channel between Israel and Hamas that resulted in a prisoner exchange for a captured soldier.
The message, according to Walla, read that Hamas was not seeking confrontation with Israel.
It said Haniyeh’s adviser, Ghazi Hamad, talked to Baskin via telephone from inside the prime minister's office and with his knowledge. Baskin then delivered the message to the director of Netanyahu’s office, Gil Shapir, in writing, it said.
The report claims that a few days later, Hamas redeployed its forces along the border with Israel after those forces were withdrawn following military attacks on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.
Israel then explained that move amounted to a green light by Hamas to other factions in the Gaza Strip to fire missiles at Israeli towns facing the Gaza Strip.
Netanyahu's office declined to comment on the report, Walla said.
However, the report noted that there had been indirect communications between Israel and Hamas, not only through Baskin, but also through the Egyptian intelligence.
Baskin did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
Ismail Haniyeh's office denied the report by the Hebrew-language news site Walla.
According to Walla, Haniyeh sent his message to Netanyahu two weeks ago via Israeli mediator Gershon Baskin who had previously organized a secret back channel between Israel and Hamas that resulted in a prisoner exchange for a captured soldier.
The message, according to Walla, read that Hamas was not seeking confrontation with Israel.
It said Haniyeh’s adviser, Ghazi Hamad, talked to Baskin via telephone from inside the prime minister's office and with his knowledge. Baskin then delivered the message to the director of Netanyahu’s office, Gil Shapir, in writing, it said.
The report claims that a few days later, Hamas redeployed its forces along the border with Israel after those forces were withdrawn following military attacks on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.
Israel then explained that move amounted to a green light by Hamas to other factions in the Gaza Strip to fire missiles at Israeli towns facing the Gaza Strip.
Netanyahu's office declined to comment on the report, Walla said.
However, the report noted that there had been indirect communications between Israel and Hamas, not only through Baskin, but also through the Egyptian intelligence.
Baskin did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
16 feb 2014
Palestinian premier Ismail Haneyya on Saturday pledged to continue the efforts to have all Palestinian prisoners, especially the women, released from Israel's jails. "We will never forget our prisoners, and our struggle cannot be complete without freeing them," premier Haneyya stated at the opening ceremony held in Gaza city for the society of veteran female ex-detainees.
The premier stressed that the Palestinian resistance would take all paths and overcome hardships in order to extract the Palestinian prisoners' freedom.
"We will never cede an inch of the Palestinian lands and will not waive one of the Palestinian people's rights," the premier added.
"We are not bounded by any framework agreement arising from the US-sponsored settlement negotiations between the Palestinian authority and the Zionist occupation," he said.
The premier stressed that the Palestinian resistance would take all paths and overcome hardships in order to extract the Palestinian prisoners' freedom.
"We will never cede an inch of the Palestinian lands and will not waive one of the Palestinian people's rights," the premier added.
"We are not bounded by any framework agreement arising from the US-sponsored settlement negotiations between the Palestinian authority and the Zionist occupation," he said.
The Hamas Movement said the Palestinian people have the right to resist the Israeli occupation by all available means, describing the Israeli accusation that held it responsible for the popular protests east of Gaza as "ridiculous." "The occupation's claim about the Hamas Movement's responsibility for the popular demonstrations in the eastern areas of the Strip is ludicrous and does not affect the Movement," spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri stated in press remarks to the Palestinian information center (PIC) on Saturday.
"Our people are under occupation and have the right to resist the occupation by all means possible," Abu Zuhri underlined.
The spokesman accused the Israeli army of not respecting the truce and its terms, and preventing the farmers from approaching their lands inside the so-called buffer zone, which is actually inside Gaza.
He stressed that the citizens have the right to reach their lands according to what has been stated by the Egyptian-brokered ceasefire agreement, not to mention that they have a natural right to access their own property.
The Egyptian ceasefire agreement of 2012 demanded Israel to abolish its buffer zone, which extends along the security fence, but it is located inside Gaza and not in the Israeli-controlled areas behind the fence.
The spokesman asserted that the Israeli occupation is the party which always starts escalating the situation in Gaza, emphasizing the Palestinians' right to protect and defend themselves against Israel's aggression and violations.
A senior Israeli officer calling himself the commander of the southern region accused Hamas of being responsible for what he labelled as violent protests taking place every week near the perimeter fence along Gaza borderline.
17 Palestinian citizens had suffered bullet injuries on Friday afternoon when Israeli soldiers attacked a small peaceful rally protesting the buffer zone imposed on Palestinian-owned lands in Gaza.
"Our people are under occupation and have the right to resist the occupation by all means possible," Abu Zuhri underlined.
The spokesman accused the Israeli army of not respecting the truce and its terms, and preventing the farmers from approaching their lands inside the so-called buffer zone, which is actually inside Gaza.
He stressed that the citizens have the right to reach their lands according to what has been stated by the Egyptian-brokered ceasefire agreement, not to mention that they have a natural right to access their own property.
The Egyptian ceasefire agreement of 2012 demanded Israel to abolish its buffer zone, which extends along the security fence, but it is located inside Gaza and not in the Israeli-controlled areas behind the fence.
The spokesman asserted that the Israeli occupation is the party which always starts escalating the situation in Gaza, emphasizing the Palestinians' right to protect and defend themselves against Israel's aggression and violations.
A senior Israeli officer calling himself the commander of the southern region accused Hamas of being responsible for what he labelled as violent protests taking place every week near the perimeter fence along Gaza borderline.
17 Palestinian citizens had suffered bullet injuries on Friday afternoon when Israeli soldiers attacked a small peaceful rally protesting the buffer zone imposed on Palestinian-owned lands in Gaza.
14 feb 2014
Rocket hit detected near greenhouse in Hof Ashkelon Regional Council, followed by hit in Eshkol Regional Council. No injuries reported.
Two rockets hit Israel on Friday, one near a greenhouse in the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council and the other in the Eshkol Regional Council. No injuries were reported.
On Tuesday, the Israel Air Force struck the Gaza Strip in response to Monday rocket fire towards the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council.
On Saturday, a rocket landed in Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council, but no injuries or damage were reported. Another rocket was launched Thursday evening, and landed in an open field south of Ashkelon.
Two rockets hit Israel on Friday, one near a greenhouse in the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council and the other in the Eshkol Regional Council. No injuries were reported.
On Tuesday, the Israel Air Force struck the Gaza Strip in response to Monday rocket fire towards the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council.
On Saturday, a rocket landed in Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council, but no injuries or damage were reported. Another rocket was launched Thursday evening, and landed in an open field south of Ashkelon.
13 feb 2014
Only reunification of Gaza and the West Bank under the PA can pave way for progress towards peace, Robert Sherry says.
The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas is eroding, UN Middle East Peace Coordinator Robert Serry said in a press statement on Wednesday.
"I am worried we are seeing more and more signs that the understanding on a ceasefire reached in November 2012 is eroding in both of its main requirements – the end of all hostilities and the opening of the crossings for people and goods," Serry said. The Egyptian-mediated agreement came on the heels of the eight-day 2012 Operation Pillar of Defense in which more than a 100 Palestinians and six Israelis were killed. "During the past two months, we have seen more rockets being fired at Israel, border incidents, and Israeli retaliatory operations causing death or injury to civilians.
The United Nations condemns the rise in violence, and all parties must act in accordance with international law," Serry noted. Serry asserted that "only the reunification of Gaza and the West Bank under the legitimate Palestinian Authority, based on the PLO commitments, can pave the way to a durable solution for Gaza, as part of political progress towards peace."
At the same time, Serry decried the deteriorating social and economic conditions in the Gaza Strip as a result of continued closures of border crossings. UN construction work in the Strip has suffered delays as a result of the closures, and over 20 projects remain stalled since November 2013. "The closure of illegal tunnels has not been turned into an opportunity to increase the entry of construction material through legal crossings," Serry said. "I sincerely hope that the Israeli authorities will fully adhere to their commitment to reopen Gaza for construction materials for UN projects," he added.
The Special UN coordinator did note the recent decision to allow 1,000 tons of cement and other construction materials for flood relief into Gaza as a positive step. In 2010, Israel eased the restrictions to allow imports for internationally supervised projects. But in October of last year, it halted the entry of all construction materials after discovering a concrete-lined tunnel along the border.
Israel said the tunnel was to be used by militants for attacks and abductions of Israelis – a claim that Palestinian armed groups later confirmed.
The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas is eroding, UN Middle East Peace Coordinator Robert Serry said in a press statement on Wednesday.
"I am worried we are seeing more and more signs that the understanding on a ceasefire reached in November 2012 is eroding in both of its main requirements – the end of all hostilities and the opening of the crossings for people and goods," Serry said. The Egyptian-mediated agreement came on the heels of the eight-day 2012 Operation Pillar of Defense in which more than a 100 Palestinians and six Israelis were killed. "During the past two months, we have seen more rockets being fired at Israel, border incidents, and Israeli retaliatory operations causing death or injury to civilians.
The United Nations condemns the rise in violence, and all parties must act in accordance with international law," Serry noted. Serry asserted that "only the reunification of Gaza and the West Bank under the legitimate Palestinian Authority, based on the PLO commitments, can pave the way to a durable solution for Gaza, as part of political progress towards peace."
At the same time, Serry decried the deteriorating social and economic conditions in the Gaza Strip as a result of continued closures of border crossings. UN construction work in the Strip has suffered delays as a result of the closures, and over 20 projects remain stalled since November 2013. "The closure of illegal tunnels has not been turned into an opportunity to increase the entry of construction material through legal crossings," Serry said. "I sincerely hope that the Israeli authorities will fully adhere to their commitment to reopen Gaza for construction materials for UN projects," he added.
The Special UN coordinator did note the recent decision to allow 1,000 tons of cement and other construction materials for flood relief into Gaza as a positive step. In 2010, Israel eased the restrictions to allow imports for internationally supervised projects. But in October of last year, it halted the entry of all construction materials after discovering a concrete-lined tunnel along the border.
Israel said the tunnel was to be used by militants for attacks and abductions of Israelis – a claim that Palestinian armed groups later confirmed.
11 feb 2014
Israeli airstrikes rocked northern Gaza City and al-Nuseirat refugee early Tuesday, causing damages, security sources and locals said.
Three air-to-surface missiles struck the Abu Jarad militant base in Gaza City, causing a fire to break out, the sources said.
Heavy damages, but no injuries, were reported.
Additionally, Israeli warplanes fired missiles at an open area near Gaza's power plant north of al-Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.
Israel's army said in a statement that a rocket fired from Gaza late Monday landed in an open area in southern Israel.
It caused no damages or injuries, according to Israeli news site Ynet.
The army statement said that "in retaliation the IAF targeted an underground rocket launcher in the central Gaza Strip and a terror site in the northern Gaza Strip."
"Direct hits were confirmed," the statement said.
"The IDF targeted sites that were part of the infrastructure utilized to terrorize Israel and its civilians," the statement quoted an IDF spokesman as saying.
"We will continue to act against the threats originating from Hamas' Gaza Strip."
Recent weeks have witnessed an increase in tensions on the Gaza Strip, as Israeli forces have repeatedly opened fire on Palestinian protests near the border and launched a number of airstrikes.
Israeli forces killed six Palestinians and injured 41 in attacks on Gaza in January, Gaza's Ministry of Health spokesman Ashraf al-Qidra said in early February.
Palestinian militants, meanwhile, have fired dozens of rockets toward Israel, all of which have all landed in unpopulated areas with no injuries reported.
The Gaza Strip government is under Hamas control. While Hamas itself does not routinely fire rockets, Israel says it holds the group, which seized power in Gaza in 2007, responsible for such attacks.
Hamas and Israel have maintained a fragile ceasefire since November 2012, when Israeli forces launched a major assault that killed around 170 Palestinians.
Three air-to-surface missiles struck the Abu Jarad militant base in Gaza City, causing a fire to break out, the sources said.
Heavy damages, but no injuries, were reported.
Additionally, Israeli warplanes fired missiles at an open area near Gaza's power plant north of al-Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.
Israel's army said in a statement that a rocket fired from Gaza late Monday landed in an open area in southern Israel.
It caused no damages or injuries, according to Israeli news site Ynet.
The army statement said that "in retaliation the IAF targeted an underground rocket launcher in the central Gaza Strip and a terror site in the northern Gaza Strip."
"Direct hits were confirmed," the statement said.
"The IDF targeted sites that were part of the infrastructure utilized to terrorize Israel and its civilians," the statement quoted an IDF spokesman as saying.
"We will continue to act against the threats originating from Hamas' Gaza Strip."
Recent weeks have witnessed an increase in tensions on the Gaza Strip, as Israeli forces have repeatedly opened fire on Palestinian protests near the border and launched a number of airstrikes.
Israeli forces killed six Palestinians and injured 41 in attacks on Gaza in January, Gaza's Ministry of Health spokesman Ashraf al-Qidra said in early February.
Palestinian militants, meanwhile, have fired dozens of rockets toward Israel, all of which have all landed in unpopulated areas with no injuries reported.
The Gaza Strip government is under Hamas control. While Hamas itself does not routinely fire rockets, Israel says it holds the group, which seized power in Gaza in 2007, responsible for such attacks.
Hamas and Israel have maintained a fragile ceasefire since November 2012, when Israeli forces launched a major assault that killed around 170 Palestinians.
8 feb 2014
An Israeli military spokesman said on Saturday night that a rocket from Gaza fell in the Western Negev region on Saturday evening, causing no damage.
The spokesman said that the rocket fell in the Sdot Negev regional council, near the border of the Gaza Strip.
He added that the rocket fell in an open area and caused "no damage."
The rocket strike came a day after Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian protesters inside Gaza near the border, injuring five with live fire.
An Israeli army spokeswoman said that the protesters were "hurling rocks at soldiers."
The rocket came a day after three rockets were fired into Israel from Gaza.
The Gaza Strip government is under Hamas control. While Hamas itself does not routinely fire rockets, Israel says it holds the group, which seized power in Gaza in 2007, responsible for such attacks.
The spokesman said that the rocket fell in the Sdot Negev regional council, near the border of the Gaza Strip.
He added that the rocket fell in an open area and caused "no damage."
The rocket strike came a day after Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian protesters inside Gaza near the border, injuring five with live fire.
An Israeli army spokeswoman said that the protesters were "hurling rocks at soldiers."
The rocket came a day after three rockets were fired into Israel from Gaza.
The Gaza Strip government is under Hamas control. While Hamas itself does not routinely fire rockets, Israel says it holds the group, which seized power in Gaza in 2007, responsible for such attacks.
7 feb 2014
The Israeli military said a third rocket fired by Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip slammed into southern Israel Thursday night, but there were no immediate reports of injuries.
It followed two earlier rocket attacks. In both cases the projectiles fell on open ground.
Israel often responds to such activity with airstrikes into Gaza.
On Tuesday, Hamas said they had redeployed a 600-strong special security force tasked with preventing cross-border rocket fire, after reports it had pulled the unit back two days before.
Hamas spokesman Islam Shahwan said the movement would "not allow the occupation (Israel) to break off the ceasefire" that ended an eight-day, full-scale conflict in November 2012.
The Hamas force was deployed on Jan. 21, but withdrawn at the weekend as a protest after four Israeli airstrikes on Hamas training camps in the strip.
While Hamas itself does not routinely fire rockets, Israel says it holds the group, which seized power in Gaza in 2007, responsible for such attacks.
It followed two earlier rocket attacks. In both cases the projectiles fell on open ground.
Israel often responds to such activity with airstrikes into Gaza.
On Tuesday, Hamas said they had redeployed a 600-strong special security force tasked with preventing cross-border rocket fire, after reports it had pulled the unit back two days before.
Hamas spokesman Islam Shahwan said the movement would "not allow the occupation (Israel) to break off the ceasefire" that ended an eight-day, full-scale conflict in November 2012.
The Hamas force was deployed on Jan. 21, but withdrawn at the weekend as a protest after four Israeli airstrikes on Hamas training camps in the strip.
While Hamas itself does not routinely fire rockets, Israel says it holds the group, which seized power in Gaza in 2007, responsible for such attacks.
5 feb 2014
Gaza's ministry of interior on Wednesday denied media reports that the ministry had ordered security services to arrest militants launching rockets towards Israel, denouncing the rumors as "lies."
"These are mere lies and falsifications and the minister's office never released such a letter," the minister's office said in a statement.
The statement added that "such trivialities will never deceive our people and the ministry of interior headed by minister Fathi Hamad will continue to protect our home front and our resistance."
Israeli news website Ynet published on Wednesday a document in Arabic that they said was a letter sent from the minister of interior's office to the commander of Hamas' military wing urging him to arrest those who launch rockets towards Israel.
The letter was addressed to Abu Ubayda al-Jarrah and called on him to ensure that security forces under his command monitor the areas from which rockets are being fired and to detain all "those who fire rockets even if it necessitates using force."
The reports comes a day after the Gaza government redeployed a military force on the border tasked with preventing militants from launching rockets towards Israel, which had been withdrawn a few days earlier in protest against repeated Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip in recent weeks.
Despite the withdrawal of the force, forces were still tasked with maintaining the ceasefire with Israel, which has been in place since Nov. 2012 despite repeated Israeli violations and Palestinian reprisals.
Israeli forces have killed six Palestinians and injured 41 in attacks on Gaza in January, Ashraf al-Qidra, spokesman for Gaza's Ministry of Health, said last week.
Additionally, Israeli forces have opened fire on numerous Palestinian protests in border areas, which Israel maintains as a "buffer zone" that has turned 17 percent of Gaza's total land area and 35% of its agricultural land into a no-go zone according to UNOCHA's 2010 statistics.
Palestinian militants, meanwhile, have fired an increased number of rockets toward Israel, which have all landed in unpopulated areas with no injuries reported.
"These are mere lies and falsifications and the minister's office never released such a letter," the minister's office said in a statement.
The statement added that "such trivialities will never deceive our people and the ministry of interior headed by minister Fathi Hamad will continue to protect our home front and our resistance."
Israeli news website Ynet published on Wednesday a document in Arabic that they said was a letter sent from the minister of interior's office to the commander of Hamas' military wing urging him to arrest those who launch rockets towards Israel.
The letter was addressed to Abu Ubayda al-Jarrah and called on him to ensure that security forces under his command monitor the areas from which rockets are being fired and to detain all "those who fire rockets even if it necessitates using force."
The reports comes a day after the Gaza government redeployed a military force on the border tasked with preventing militants from launching rockets towards Israel, which had been withdrawn a few days earlier in protest against repeated Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip in recent weeks.
Despite the withdrawal of the force, forces were still tasked with maintaining the ceasefire with Israel, which has been in place since Nov. 2012 despite repeated Israeli violations and Palestinian reprisals.
Israeli forces have killed six Palestinians and injured 41 in attacks on Gaza in January, Ashraf al-Qidra, spokesman for Gaza's Ministry of Health, said last week.
Additionally, Israeli forces have opened fire on numerous Palestinian protests in border areas, which Israel maintains as a "buffer zone" that has turned 17 percent of Gaza's total land area and 35% of its agricultural land into a no-go zone according to UNOCHA's 2010 statistics.
Palestinian militants, meanwhile, have fired an increased number of rockets toward Israel, which have all landed in unpopulated areas with no injuries reported.
4 feb 2014
Islam Shahwan , the spokesman of Interior Ministry in Gaza
The Palestinian Ministry of Interior and National Security made clear on Monday that it preserves the signed truce between Israeli occupation and Gaza , stressing that it adheres to reserve the internal Palestinian security. Islam Shahwan , the spokesman of Interior Ministry in Gaza explained on his facebook page that the Ministry of Interior recognizes the concurrences of Palestinian resistance factions as long as they realize the stability, security and interests of Palestinian people.
He highlighted that the ministry re- deployed its forces along the border to preserve the Egyptian brokered truce between Israel and Gaza.
Israel and Hamas have agreed on 21 November 2012 to a cease-fire in the week-old hostile in Gaza that has left more than a hundred dead and many more wounded.
The Palestinian Ministry of Interior and National Security made clear on Monday that it preserves the signed truce between Israeli occupation and Gaza , stressing that it adheres to reserve the internal Palestinian security. Islam Shahwan , the spokesman of Interior Ministry in Gaza explained on his facebook page that the Ministry of Interior recognizes the concurrences of Palestinian resistance factions as long as they realize the stability, security and interests of Palestinian people.
He highlighted that the ministry re- deployed its forces along the border to preserve the Egyptian brokered truce between Israel and Gaza.
Israel and Hamas have agreed on 21 November 2012 to a cease-fire in the week-old hostile in Gaza that has left more than a hundred dead and many more wounded.
3 feb 2014
The Hamas Movement said that any invasion of the Gaza Strip would be a very risky and failed adventure for the Israeli occupation state, which always pays dearly for its reckless acts and do not learn the lesson. This came in response to recent Israeli threats to reinvade Gaza and enable the Palestinian Authority to rule it again.
Yuval Steinitz, Israel's minister of intelligence, international relations and strategic affairs, said on Saturday that Israel would have no choice but to go inside the Gaza Strip in order to eliminate Hamas and allow the Palestinian Authority to regain control of its affairs if the Palestinian rockets kept landing in Israeli areas.
Senior Hamas official and lawmaker Mushir Al-Masri stated in press remarks to Quds Press that the Israeli leaders who had preceded Steinitz to such remarks had already tried their luck in Gaza and failed to achieve their goals.
"The invasion of the Gaza Strip by land is what the resistance wishes for because Gaza would be a graveyard for the Zionists," Masri said, adding that "the occupation would commit a folly and its leaders would bite their fingers in regret if they thought to do so."
The Hamas official said further that Israel would pay a huge price for any coming folly in Gaza and its army would drag tails of defeat and ignominy behind it.
"The resistance today is much stronger than ever before and our people strongly rally around it all the time," he added.
For its part, the resistance committees in Palestine condemned Steinitz's war threats and described him as "terrorist."
The resistance committees said in a press release on Sunday that Steinitz's threats were no more than another Israeli media stunt and muscle display, and could not frighten the Palestinian people and their resistance.
It stressed that the Palestinian resistance in Gaza is way stronger than before and ready to retaliate to any Israeli aggression.
Yuval Steinitz, Israel's minister of intelligence, international relations and strategic affairs, said on Saturday that Israel would have no choice but to go inside the Gaza Strip in order to eliminate Hamas and allow the Palestinian Authority to regain control of its affairs if the Palestinian rockets kept landing in Israeli areas.
Senior Hamas official and lawmaker Mushir Al-Masri stated in press remarks to Quds Press that the Israeli leaders who had preceded Steinitz to such remarks had already tried their luck in Gaza and failed to achieve their goals.
"The invasion of the Gaza Strip by land is what the resistance wishes for because Gaza would be a graveyard for the Zionists," Masri said, adding that "the occupation would commit a folly and its leaders would bite their fingers in regret if they thought to do so."
The Hamas official said further that Israel would pay a huge price for any coming folly in Gaza and its army would drag tails of defeat and ignominy behind it.
"The resistance today is much stronger than ever before and our people strongly rally around it all the time," he added.
For its part, the resistance committees in Palestine condemned Steinitz's war threats and described him as "terrorist."
The resistance committees said in a press release on Sunday that Steinitz's threats were no more than another Israeli media stunt and muscle display, and could not frighten the Palestinian people and their resistance.
It stressed that the Palestinian resistance in Gaza is way stronger than before and ready to retaliate to any Israeli aggression.
2 feb 2014
The Hamas movement has allegedly pulled back hundreds of gunmen previously deployed along the borders with Israel in order to prevent other Palestinian factions from firing homemade rockets at Israeli towns, according to an Israeli report released on Sunday.
The Hebrew language news site Walla reported on Sunday that according to Palestinian sources Hamas had pulled back 600 gunmen who had been deployed in border areas to maintain a ceasefire with Israel by preventing gunmen from other militant factions from firing rockets.
The reported move comes a day after Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon threatened to launch attacks against the Gaza Strip if rockets continued to be launched towards the Israel, saying that they would pay a "heavy price."
Hamas' move gives other Palestinian factions a green light to fire rockets at Israeli targets across the border, according to Walla. The move allegedly came in response to an Israeli airstrike on Thursday.
The Walla report highlighted that Hamas is still exerting pressure on other Palestinian factions to maintain a ceasefire, which has been in place since it was brokered by Egypt after the last Israeli military offensive on the Gaza Strip in 2012, which killed around 170 Palestinians and injured thousands.
The report comes amid a major uptick in Israeli attacks on Gaza in recent weeks, which have injured dozens of civilians, as well as a number of incursions into border areas.
Additionally, Israeli forces have opened fire on numerous Palestinian protests in border areas, which Israel maintains as a "buffer zone" that has turned 17% of Gaza's total land area and 35% of its agricultural land into a no-go zone according to UNOCHA's 2010 statistics.
Palestinian militants, meanwhile, have fired an increased number of rockets toward Israel, which have all landed in unpopulated areas with no injuries reported.
The Hebrew language news site Walla reported on Sunday that according to Palestinian sources Hamas had pulled back 600 gunmen who had been deployed in border areas to maintain a ceasefire with Israel by preventing gunmen from other militant factions from firing rockets.
The reported move comes a day after Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon threatened to launch attacks against the Gaza Strip if rockets continued to be launched towards the Israel, saying that they would pay a "heavy price."
Hamas' move gives other Palestinian factions a green light to fire rockets at Israeli targets across the border, according to Walla. The move allegedly came in response to an Israeli airstrike on Thursday.
The Walla report highlighted that Hamas is still exerting pressure on other Palestinian factions to maintain a ceasefire, which has been in place since it was brokered by Egypt after the last Israeli military offensive on the Gaza Strip in 2012, which killed around 170 Palestinians and injured thousands.
The report comes amid a major uptick in Israeli attacks on Gaza in recent weeks, which have injured dozens of civilians, as well as a number of incursions into border areas.
Additionally, Israeli forces have opened fire on numerous Palestinian protests in border areas, which Israel maintains as a "buffer zone" that has turned 17% of Gaza's total land area and 35% of its agricultural land into a no-go zone according to UNOCHA's 2010 statistics.
Palestinian militants, meanwhile, have fired an increased number of rockets toward Israel, which have all landed in unpopulated areas with no injuries reported.
1 feb 2014
Moshe Ya'alon, the Israeli war minister, held Hamas Movement responsible for the continuous rocket fire from Gaza Strip towards the Israeli entity. "We will not tolerate rocket fire towards Israel or any attempt to return to the situation before Operation Pillar of Defense," he said in his remarks to Walla Hebrew website on Friday.
"We will respond decisively to any attempts to harm Israeli citizens or disrupt their lives", he added.
He held Hamas responsible for everything that happens in the Gaza Strip, saying that "it would pay a heavy price if it did not act to prevent rocket fire and attacks against Israel from Gaza."
Seven Palestinian civilians suffered injuries including three children in renewed Israeli aerial attacks at dawn Friday on different areas of the densely-populated Gaza Strip.
"We will respond decisively to any attempts to harm Israeli citizens or disrupt their lives", he added.
He held Hamas responsible for everything that happens in the Gaza Strip, saying that "it would pay a heavy price if it did not act to prevent rocket fire and attacks against Israel from Gaza."
Seven Palestinian civilians suffered injuries including three children in renewed Israeli aerial attacks at dawn Friday on different areas of the densely-populated Gaza Strip.
30 jan 2014
A rocket fired from the Gaza Strip landed in the Negev desert in southern Israel late Thursday, a police spokesperson told Ma'an.
The spokesperson said the rocket landed in an open area near Sdot Hanegev Regional Council.
No injuries or damages were reported, the spokesperson told Ma'an.
Police officers and explosives experts are searching the area for the rocket.
The spokesperson said the rocket landed in an open area near Sdot Hanegev Regional Council.
No injuries or damages were reported, the spokesperson told Ma'an.
Police officers and explosives experts are searching the area for the rocket.
29 jan 2014
Israeli occupation military intelligence chief Aviv Kochavi
An Israeli military intel official said on Wednesday that “Israel's ability to deter enemies is strong, but on the other hand, terror is still a challenge,” "We call this period in time the "Era of Fire", in light of the amount of missiles and rockets we face as a constant threat," JPost quoted the official Aviv Kochavi .
Speaking of the challenges to guarding the borders of the Israeli occupation, he said that “neighboring countries have little interest in war,”
"The countries around us are busy with themselves, they have less funds to start a war. There is no question that there is a decrease in such threats but they have not given up," he said.
Regarding Egypt, Kochavi proclaimed "any retreat of the Muslim Brotherhood in the region is significant for Israel."
During the last few days, Israeli war criminals repeatedly threatened the Gaza Strip with a military action.
Al Jazeera English reported on January 19 that an Egyptian mediator delivered a threat message from Israel to Gaza's leadership, while the Israeli prime minister threatened on January 21, to teach Gaza's governing Hamas Movement a lesson "very soon".
Since December 20, when a Palestinian citizen was shot dead by Israeli forces while near the Beir Hanon (Erez) crossing in northern Gaza Strip, four Palestinians and an Israeli have been killed.
Secretary General of the Palestinian Ministerial Council in the Gaza Strip, Abdul-Salam Syam, on January 11 called for Egypt to take action to stop the continuous Israeli military aggression on Gaza.
"The Israeli army continues its aggression on the Gaza Strip, intentionally targeting civilians." Syam said, adding that it is a "clear violation of the truce brokered by Egypt, reached in the wake of the Israeli war on the Strip in 2012."
Syam affirmed that all Palestinian factions are "committed to the truce," but that the Israeli occupation breaches it and "targets civilians and the Palestinian resistance."
To face Israeli aggression Syam reiterated that the Palestinian resistance has the right to respond, "in order to protect people."
Dozens of Gazans have been reported injured and killed since the ceasefire agreement following Israel’s November 2012 aggression, which left over 171 Palestinians, including 102 civilians, killed and hundreds injured.
An Israeli military intel official said on Wednesday that “Israel's ability to deter enemies is strong, but on the other hand, terror is still a challenge,” "We call this period in time the "Era of Fire", in light of the amount of missiles and rockets we face as a constant threat," JPost quoted the official Aviv Kochavi .
Speaking of the challenges to guarding the borders of the Israeli occupation, he said that “neighboring countries have little interest in war,”
"The countries around us are busy with themselves, they have less funds to start a war. There is no question that there is a decrease in such threats but they have not given up," he said.
Regarding Egypt, Kochavi proclaimed "any retreat of the Muslim Brotherhood in the region is significant for Israel."
During the last few days, Israeli war criminals repeatedly threatened the Gaza Strip with a military action.
Al Jazeera English reported on January 19 that an Egyptian mediator delivered a threat message from Israel to Gaza's leadership, while the Israeli prime minister threatened on January 21, to teach Gaza's governing Hamas Movement a lesson "very soon".
Since December 20, when a Palestinian citizen was shot dead by Israeli forces while near the Beir Hanon (Erez) crossing in northern Gaza Strip, four Palestinians and an Israeli have been killed.
Secretary General of the Palestinian Ministerial Council in the Gaza Strip, Abdul-Salam Syam, on January 11 called for Egypt to take action to stop the continuous Israeli military aggression on Gaza.
"The Israeli army continues its aggression on the Gaza Strip, intentionally targeting civilians." Syam said, adding that it is a "clear violation of the truce brokered by Egypt, reached in the wake of the Israeli war on the Strip in 2012."
Syam affirmed that all Palestinian factions are "committed to the truce," but that the Israeli occupation breaches it and "targets civilians and the Palestinian resistance."
To face Israeli aggression Syam reiterated that the Palestinian resistance has the right to respond, "in order to protect people."
Dozens of Gazans have been reported injured and killed since the ceasefire agreement following Israel’s November 2012 aggression, which left over 171 Palestinians, including 102 civilians, killed and hundreds injured.
27 jan 2014
The Gaza-based al-Mujahideen Brigades, the military wing of the al-Mujahideen movement, announced on Monday that they have manufactured a new type of handheld missile launcher.
A spokesman for the group, named Abu Omar, said in a statement received by Ma'an that the new launcher called "Sair", which means "flames" or "hell" in Arabic, would be used in any new confrontation with Israeli occupation forces.
"The launcher was (created as) part of efforts to develop resistance weapons as the enemy has been threatening to launch a new aggression against the Gaza Strip," the statement said, referring to a series of Israeli strikes and assassinations in the Gaza Strip in recent weeks.
Abu Omar added that resistance has several more "surprises" which would be revealed if any confrontation breaks out with the Israeli occupation.
The al-Mujahideen Brigades are a little known movement that originally emerged from Fatah's al-Aqsa Brigades but became independent and today lean towards the group Islamic Jihad.
Al-Mujahideen has carried out rocket attacks on Israeli targets from the Gaza Strip, in contravention of the ceasefire the Hamas-led Gaza government currently maintains with Israel.
The Gaza Strip has been under a severe economic blockade imposed by the State of Israel since 2006.
A spokesman for the group, named Abu Omar, said in a statement received by Ma'an that the new launcher called "Sair", which means "flames" or "hell" in Arabic, would be used in any new confrontation with Israeli occupation forces.
"The launcher was (created as) part of efforts to develop resistance weapons as the enemy has been threatening to launch a new aggression against the Gaza Strip," the statement said, referring to a series of Israeli strikes and assassinations in the Gaza Strip in recent weeks.
Abu Omar added that resistance has several more "surprises" which would be revealed if any confrontation breaks out with the Israeli occupation.
The al-Mujahideen Brigades are a little known movement that originally emerged from Fatah's al-Aqsa Brigades but became independent and today lean towards the group Islamic Jihad.
Al-Mujahideen has carried out rocket attacks on Israeli targets from the Gaza Strip, in contravention of the ceasefire the Hamas-led Gaza government currently maintains with Israel.
The Gaza Strip has been under a severe economic blockade imposed by the State of Israel since 2006.
Palestinian resistance fighters blasted an explosive device in an Israeli army jeep to the east of Khan Younis, south of Gaza Strip, on Monday morning. Local sources told the PIC reporter that the device was ignited when the military jeep was passing 50 meters away from the border fence.
They said that Israeli occupation forces (IOF) rushed to the scene after the explosion and opened indiscriminate fire at Qarara town.
IOF attacks on the Gaza Strip since the start of this year killed six Palestinians and wounded 26 others.
They said that Israeli occupation forces (IOF) rushed to the scene after the explosion and opened indiscriminate fire at Qarara town.
IOF attacks on the Gaza Strip since the start of this year killed six Palestinians and wounded 26 others.
24 jan 2014
Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper claimed on Thursday that the Israeli army would face fierce confrontation during any next war on the Gaza Strip, warning that the Hamas Movement works hard on preparing itself for the next round of fighting. According to the newspaper's claims, Hamas has an impressive cache of a homemade M-75 rockets that can reach central Israel.
It said that the armed wing of Hamas learned lessons from the last war and stashed its weapons and rocket launchers in places away from Israeli attacks.
Its armed wing has also embarked on burrowing and building a big web of underground tunnels throughout the strip in order to facilitate the speedy transfer of resistance fighters and protect Hamas' leaders, Yedioth Ahronoth claimed further.
It said that the armed wing of Hamas learned lessons from the last war and stashed its weapons and rocket launchers in places away from Israeli attacks.
Its armed wing has also embarked on burrowing and building a big web of underground tunnels throughout the strip in order to facilitate the speedy transfer of resistance fighters and protect Hamas' leaders, Yedioth Ahronoth claimed further.
