Israeli ongoing airstrikes in the Gaza Strip resulted in the death of three Palestinians and an Israeli, opening another major conflict in the impoverished enclave.
Israel launched dozens of air strikes against Gaza buildings on Sunday, allegedly in response to Palestinian rockets, despite Egypt urging Israel to back down. The United States, whose peace mediation has been stalled since 2014, blamed the Hamas as usual.
“The escalation in the past 24 hours is EXTREMELY dangerous and reckless,” tweeted Nickolay Mladenov, a U.N. Middle East envoy. “Rockets must STOP, restraint must be shown by all!”
Violence has simmered since Palestinians launched weekly border protests on March 30 to demand the easing of a blockade on Gaza and rights to lands lost in the 1948 war of Israel’s founding.
A Qatari cash infusion of US$15 million last week appeared to dampen Gazan anger. On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he hoped to reach an “arrangement” to avoid another Gaza war and ease Palestinian economic hardship.
But hours later, a botched incursion by undercover Israeli troops in Gaza led to fighting that killed a Hamas commander, six other Palestinian militants and an Israeli colonel.
“In response to yesterday’s crime, the joint command of Palestinian factions announce the beginning of bombardment of the enemy’s settlements with scores of rockets,” Hamas said in a statement on Monday.