Israel hits Hamas sites in Gaza, cancels easing of restrictions - Al Jazeera English

The Israeli military has launched a series of air strikes targeting a Hamas site in the besieged Gaza Strip early on Sunday, after two rockets were fired from the enclave towards Israeli settlements, the Israeli military has said.

Palestinian sources said Israeli aircraft targeted a Hamas site in central Gaza overnight. There were no reports of casualties.

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Israeli military spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, said in a tweet that Israeli fighter air jets and helicopters hit multiple Hamas targets in Gaza, including a military base.

The attack came a few hours after the Israeli army said two rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip towards Israel. No injuries were reported and no Palestinian factions in Gaza claimed responsibility for the rocket launch.

Following the rocket fire, Israel announced it would cancel a slight easing of the blockade on the Gaza Strip.

"The extension of the fishing zone, the restoration of 500 commercial permits and the delivery of cement have been cancelled," because of the rocket fire, COGAT, the Israel defence ministry unit that oversees civilian activities in the Palestinian territories, said in a statement.

'Harsh response'

Earlier this week, Israeli security officials warned of a "harsh military response" if attacks from the Gaza Strip did not stop.

At a cabinet meeting on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu said: "We won’t accept any aggression from Gaza. Just a few weeks ago, we took out the top commander of Islamic Jihad in Gaza, and I suggest that Islamic Jihad and Hamas refresh their memories."

The near-daily exchange of attacks between both Israel and Palestinian factions in Gaza has continued since US President Donald Trump announced his Middle East plan last month. 

Growing strawberries in the Gaza Strip

The Palestinians have roundly rejected Trump's proposal, which offers them limited self-rule in scattered chunks of territory with a capital on the outskirts of Jerusalem while allowing Israel to annex large parts of the West Bank.

Since 2008, Hamas and Israel have fought three wars in Gaza but over the past year, Hamas has gradually shaped informal understandings with Israel, in an attempt to ease the more than 12-year blockade imposed on Gaza by Egypt and Israel.

Human rights groups and critics consider the blockade as collective punishment of two million people, warning of its impact on humanitarian conditions in Gaza.

SOURCE: Al Jazeera and news agencies

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https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/israel-hits-hamas-sites-gaza-cancels-easing-restrictions-200216111431104.html

2020-02-16 11:59:00Z
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