Defense minister orders halt in fuel deliveries to Gaza over border violence
By Yaniv Kubovich and Jack Khoury, HAARETZ
Six Palestinians were killed on Friday during protests at the Gaza-Israel border, the Gaza Health Ministry reported. At least 252 were wounded, 154 by live ammunition, including one critically injured and five seriously hurt, the ministry said. Some 15,000 Palestinians were participating in the weekly protest at the border, with the military saying that some were throwing firebombs and explosive devices.
Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said he had instructed that fuel deliveries to Gaza through Israel be halted because of violence at the border. Lieberman said that “Israeli will not tolerate a situation in which fuel tankers are allowed to enter Gaza on the one hand, while terror and violence are used against IDF soldiers and Israeli citizens on the other.”
The five killed are: Ahmad Abu Naim, 27, from the Nuseirat refugee camp in Gaza, and Muhammed Abu al-Hafez Ismail, 29, from the al-Bureij refugee camp, Tamer Riad abu Armana, 27, from Rafah, Mahmoud Afifi, 18, from Gaza City and Abdullah Braham al-Daghme, 25, from Abasan.
According to reports from Gaza, Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh and his deputy Khalil al-Hayya were hurt from gas inhalation while on an escorted tour of the fence east of Gaza City. Hamas leaders in Gaza make an effort to appear in the tent area located 700 meters from the border fence.
The Israel Defense Forces said that the protesters threw explosive devices, hand grenades and firebombs, burned tires and threw stones at IDF soldiers and at the fence, the military said. According to the army, it responded with riot dispersal means and with live fire.
The IDF also said that the military identified a number of Palestinians climbing the security fence in the southern Gaza Strip who then placed an explosive device on the fence and set fire to it. The military added that it also identified about 20 Gazans who had crossed the border fence and approached IDF positions. Soldiers fired at them in response, the military said, with Israeli snipers killing three. According to the IDF, some of the other Palestinians who had crossed the fence took the bodies back to Gaza.
Earlier Friday, Lebanese newspaper Al Akhbar reported that Hamas had received a letter from the UN’s deputy envoy to the Middle East James McGoldrick, which includes terms to ease conditions in the Gaza Strip in order to prevent further tensions.
According to the report, Israel demands the freezing of the weekly Palestinian protests, known as the March of Return and which started in March, as well as ending all attempts to cross the border, launch incendiary balloons and kites, and return to the cease-fire conditions of the summer of 2014.
At the same time, Hamas demands a 50-megawatt increase in the supply of electricity to Gaza and a solution to the enclave’s electricity problem. Other demands include expanding the fishing zone to 12 miles from the coast, and then to 20 miles as was agreed to in the 1990s,; unlimited entry of goods to Gaza; exports of goods; and Israeli work permits for 5,000 Gazans.
According to the report, the UN is negotiating with other companies for Gaza needs, and to promote projects in the Strip to provide work for 15,000 new workers.
On Tuesday, the Qatari-sponsored London daily Al-Arabi reported that Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel will visit Tel Aviv, Ramallah and Amman in the coming days as part of tour meant to promote a long-term ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
@ oldjerry:
Quite right ……we beat them to a standstill and utter defeat, and had no problems from them since. Now they are amongst our strongest allies. . I’m constantly surprised that with so many thousands of rioters who are hiding terrorist snipers and gunmen, so few of them are shot ……15,000 and only 6 (or 3) dead..
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.Every terrorist seen throwing fire bombs and hand grenades is forfeit. Then the numbers would rise to maybe 200, or more. All of the 20 who invaded Israel should have been shot; they were seen, so how is it that most of them got back safely.
We didn’t sign a long -term ceasefire with Germany and Japan our mortal enemies in WW2. When will Israel wipe out its’ mortal enemy?