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The Gaza Strip is bombed again. Hamas: Demonstration of the strength of the new Israeli government

Palestinian Al-Remal neighborhood after Wednesday's Israeli attack on the Gaza Strip. Photo:EPA

 

The World Daily | News Desk           JUNE  18th   2021 

 

The Israeli military bombed Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip on Thursday night, for the second time since the announcement of the ceasefire in the Palestinian enclave. According to Tel Aviv, this was retaliation for firing incendiary balloons towards Israel. "This is a demonstration of the strength of the new Israeli government," said a Hamas spokesman.

 

Shortly before midnight, the Israeli army reported that its fighters headed towards Hamas' position in the Gaza Strip in retaliation for the release of incendiary balloons from Palestinian territory that sparked a dozen fires in southern Israel. According to the Israeli side, the Hamas military facility and the rocket launch site in Gaza and Khan Junus, a city in the south of the enclave, were attacked. Earlier, alarm sirens sounded in many Israeli villages bordering the Gaza Strip. The Israeli army said it "will continue to destroy Hamas' military capabilities and structures and hold it accountable for what is happening in the Gaza Strip."

Al Jazeera, citing Palestinian sources, reports that Israeli rockets hit several Hamas targets near the cities of Gaza and Beit Lahia. He added that the building of the civil administration of a Palestinian organization, located near the city of Jabaliya, was also hit. Some of the missiles were supposed to hit farmland. There are no reports of victims.

This is the second Israeli air strike in the Gaza Strip since the beginning of this week. The Israeli attacks coincide with actions by the United Nations and Egypt to try to consolidate a fragile ceasefire launched on May 21 after 11 days of fighting between Hamas and the Israeli military.

"The bombing of the places of resistance by the occupation forces is a demonstration of the strength of the new Israeli government," Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said on Thursday. On Sunday, the right-wing politician Naftali Bennet was sworn in as the new prime minister of Israel, replacing Benamin Netanyahu. "Our resistance forces will watch over our people and holy places," added Barhoum. 

 

Hamas-owned Al Aqsa TV reported on Thursday that an Israeli drone had been shot down west of the city of Gaza. According to Al Jazeera, there have also been reports that Hamas fighters opened fire on Israel with heavy machine guns, firing Israeli warning sirens.

 

Blinken and Lapid on "the need to improve Israeli-Palestinian relations"

The U.S. Department of State said on Thursday that U.S. Foreign Minister Antony Blinken spoke with Israeli Foreign Minister Jair Lapid. As reported in a ministry statement, politicians discussed "the need to improve Israeli-Palestinian relations."

"They also exchanged opinions on the possibility of deepening efforts for standardization, they also raised the issue of regional security, including Iran's," added the US ministry. 

 

© The World Daily 2021 | News Desk

Source: Reuters, Al Jazeera

 

 

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