Israel hits Gaza with airstrikes
ISRAELI airstrikes hit militant sites in the Gaza Strip early on Wednesday, and Palestinians responded by sending a series of fire-carrying balloons back across the border for a second straight day — further testing the fragile ceasefire that ended last month’s war between Israel and Hamas.
The latest violence was prompted by a parade of Israeli ultranationalists through contested east Jerusalem on Tuesday. Palestinians saw that as a provocation and sent balloons into the southern Israel, causing several blazes in farmland. Israel then carried out the airstrikes — the first such raids since the May 21 ceasefire ended 11 days of fighting — and more balloons followed.
The airstrikes targeted facilities used by Hamas militants for meetings to plan attacks, the army said. There were no reports of injuries.
“The Hamas terror organization is responsible for all events transpiring in the Gaza Strip, and will bear the consequences
for its actions,” the army said. It added that it was prepared for any scenario, “including a resumption of hostilities.”
By Wednesday afternoon, masked Palestinians sent a number of balloons, laden with fuses and flaming rags, into Israel. Several fires were reported.
The unrest provided the first test of the ceasefire at a time
when Egyptian mediators have been working to reach a longerterm agreement. It comes as tensions have risen again in Jerusalem, as they did before the recent war, leading Gaza’s Hamas rulers to fire a barrage of rockets at the holy city on May 10. The fighting claimed more than 250 Palestinian lives and killed 13 people in Israel.
An Egyptian security official
said his government has been in “direct and around-theclock” contacts with Israeli officials and the Gaza rulers to keep the ceasefire and to urge them to refrain from provocative acts.
The flare-up also has created a test for Israel’s new government, which took office early this week.