Egyptian mediators race to restore calm in Gaza
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — A high-level Egyptian delegation on Wednesday held urgent talks with Gaza’s Hamas rulers, seeking to restore calm after a rocket from the Palestinian area slammed into a home in the southern Israeli city of Beersheba and the Israeli military responded with air strikes on Hamas targets.
No injuries were reported in Beersheba, but the long-range attacks with powerful rockets signaled an escalation out of Gaza
The flare-up appeared to be pushing the region toward another conflagration between the bitter enemies. But by late Wednesday, there were signs that the situation was calming down.
As the Egyptian mediators arrived, Hamas and a second militant group, Islamic Jihad, issued a joint statement that made rare criticism of the rocket attack, suggesting that they were trying to defuse the situation.
“We reject all irresponsible attempts that try to change the direction and sabotage the Egyptian efforts, including the overnight firing of the rocket,” they said.
Israel and Hamas, an Islamic group that seeks Israel’s destruction, have fought three wars since Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007. Israel and Egypt have also maintained a blockade over the territory. The restrictions, aimed at weakening Hamas, have ravaged Gaza’s economy. Hamas has led mass protests along the border with Israel for the past six months, seeking to put pressure on Israel to lift the blockade.
Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, a military spokesman, said 20 Hamas targets were struck, including offensive tunnels and weapons workshops.
Fighting has flared up on several occasions in recent months, though neither Israel nor Hamas appears to be interested in another full-blown war. Egypt and the U.N. have been trying to mediate a cease-fire.