Friday, January 11, 2019

Violence Erupts At Gaza Border: 13,000 Riot, IAF Hits Hamas Posts


Palestinian woman said killed as 13,000 riot at Gaza fence; IAF hits Hamas posts



A Palestinian woman was shot dead by IDF troops during a mass riot along the Gaza border with Israel on Friday, the Strip’s Hamas-run health ministry said, as the Hamas terror group threatened renewed violence over fresh quarrels with Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
The air force attacked two Hamas posts in northern Gaza in response to violence, the Israel Defense Forces said.
The army said some 13,000 Palestinians participated in the riots along the fence, throwing rocks, fire bombs and hand-grenades at Israeli troops, burning tires and trying to breach the security fence. Israeli soldiers responded with tear gas and, in some cases, live fire, the army said.


The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry identified the dead woman as Amal Tramsi, 43, saying she was the third woman to die in months of clashes.
At least 15 other Palestinians were injured by Israeli fire during the border riots, the ministry said. One of them was reportedly a journalist, hurt when an ambulance was hit.
An Israeli soldier was lightly injured by a rock, the IDF said.
The army said it identified several incidents where Palestinians tried to breach the fence and in one instance opened fire on them.
“IDF troops monitored the suspects in each incident and all the suspects returned to the Gaza Strip soon after crossing,” the army said. “In response to the violent events along the security fence, an IDF aircraft targeted a Hamas military post.”
Aircraft later hit a second post.
The army said one soldier was lightly wounded by stone throwers and taken to hospital for treatment.
The Israeli army had braced for an outbreak of renewed violence along the Gaza border, as tensions escalated between Jerusalem and the Hamas terror group that rules the Strip as well as between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas.
The Egyptian military sent a senior delegation to the Palestinian enclave on Thursday, led by deputy chief of the Egyptian General Intelligence Services Ayman Badia, in an effort to negotiate a settlement on some of the issues and prevent an escalation.
The delegation left Gaza on Friday afternoon and traveled to Ramallah in the West Bank for talks with the PA.
Throughout the morning, Palestinians along the border launched balloons laden with incendiary devices across the border into Israel. As of Friday afternoon, they had caused no significant damage.
However, more serious clashes with Israeli troops began later in the day, following afternoon prayers, as has been the case since March 2018, with the start of the “March of Return” protests, an initially civilian-led movement that was quickly hijacked by Hamas. An Islamist terror group that seized control of Gaza in 2007, Hamas seeks to destroy Israel.
As it does every week, the Israel Defense Forces deployed troops along the border ahead of Friday’s riots. No special safety instructions were given to  Israeli communities near the border.
In recent days, Hamas has ramped up its threats of renewed violence along the Gaza border after Israel halted the transfer of $15 million of Qatari funds to the terror group after an exchange of fire earlier this week. The funds are part of a series of six $15 million deposits Israel is allowing Qatar to deliver to Hamas as part of a highly contentious ceasefire agreement. The funds are meant ostensibly to pay the group’s civilian workers, though some Israeli officials — including former defense minister Avigdor Liberman — maintain the money will be used for Hamas’s terrorist activities.


Adding to the tensions in Gaza, Hamas and the Palestinian Authority have stepped up their ongoing fight for power. This week the PA took the dramatic step of pulling its men from the Rafah Border Crossing with Egypt, effectively closing it, saying that Hamas had been intimidating and harassing their officials.



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