Israel launched a series of air strikes against the city of Rafah, in the Gaza Strip, after accusing Hamas of attacking a military engineering unit, security sources cited by the Israeli press said today.
Pending an official statement from the Israel Defense Forces and the Islamist group Hamas, military sources confirmed to the Israeli website Walla and the Times of Israel that air and ground attacks had been carried out in Rafah, claiming that it was a response to an attack on an Israeli military excavator tasked with destroying the Islamist organization’s tunnels.
Although there is still no official information about the existence of deaths or injuries, Israeli military sources told Israeli television that two alleged Hamas militants were killed.
It is also unknown whether this crossfire could jeopardize the ceasefire that came into force on October 10, but the Israeli Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Givr, has already urged the Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to resume the offensive against the Gaza Strip.
“I ask the Prime Minister to order the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to fully resume fighting in the Gaza Strip with all its personnel,” said the minister, who was convicted in the past for inciting hatred against Palestinians, vandalism and supporting terrorism.
According to a source from Hamas’ armed wing, the group had launched an operation in Rafah to eliminate the leader of the rival militia, known as ‘Popular Forces’, Yasser Abu Shabab.
However, Israeli soldiers intervened to support Shabab, which resulted in crossfire and caused the Israeli excavator to explode.
The United States warned on Saturday that it had “credible information” about an “imminent attack” by Hamas against Palestinian civilians, in a “clear violation” of the ceasefire.
This morning, the Islamist group rejected the accusation and he blamed Israel for arming and financing other militias, which, he said, carried out “murders, kidnappings, robberies of humanitarian aid trucks and robberies against civilians”.
According to Hamas, its members in Gaza are, “with broad civil and popular support”, pursuing these gangs and holding them accountable “according to clear legal mechanisms, to protect citizens and preserve public and private property”.
Just one day after the ceasefire, Hamas militants began cracking down on all clans and militias that allegedly collaborated with Israel during the war over the past two years.including public executions of alleged collaborators, images of which went viral.
The ceasefire in Gaza – proposed by the United States and agreed between Israel and Hamas – has been in force since October 10, providing for three phases: the release of hostages, the disarmament of Hamas and the gradual reconstruction of the territory, under international supervision.
The second stage, centered on “demilitarization”, remains the most controversial and the one that Israel considers essential to put an end to the conflict.
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