Goods return to Gaza as UN and Egypt work on peace deal
Israel allowed commercial goods back into the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, a sign of easing tensions as Egypt pursued a long-term ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian enclave’s dominant armed faction.
But the prospect of an agreement between Israel and the group prompted concern within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government that Hamas would take advantage of any respite from fighting to build up its rocket arsenal.
Israel’s security cabinet, headed by Mr Netanyahu, discussed the situation.
An Israeli diplomatic official told the media Hamas would have to prove its commitment to the truce.
Israel has said Hamas must return the remains of two soldiers killed in the 2014 Gaza war and release two civilians it is holding. “There will be no proper agreement with Hamas without the repatriation of our sons and citizens, and without [it] ensuring calm for an extended period,” the official said.
At Israel’s Kerem Shalom commercial crossing with Gaza, consignments of fruit and vegetables, fuel and construction materials passed.
Israel said on Tuesday it would lift a commercial goods ban imposed on July 9 in response to incendiary balloons sent across the frontier by Palestinians. There have been fewer incidents in recent days.
Israel also expanded Gaza’s fishing zone, in waters under Israeli naval blockade, from three to nine nautical miles in the south and to six nautical miles in the north, the head of Gaza’s fishermen’s union said.
The Oslo interim peace accords set a 20-nautical-mile limit, but it was not implemented and the zone ranged from three to six nautical miles.
“We are hoping for a big catch at nine miles now,” said Khader Baker, 25, who owns two fishing boats. “There had been almost no fish within three miles. We nearly starved.”
Restrictions on the import of commercial goods that Israel says could also be used for military purposes, such as balloons and tyres, remain in effect.
Egypt and the UN are trying to broker a comprehensive truce to prevent fighting and to ease Gaza’s economic hardship.
Hamas officials said Palestinian factions were in Cairo to discuss terms for a ceasefire.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged all parties “to support the efforts of UN Special Co-ordinator Nickolay Mladenov and Egypt to avoid an escalation and address all humanitarian issues in Gaza and the return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza”.
But Israeli Education Minister Naftali Bennett said: “This ‘quiet’ will give Hamas total immunity so that it can rearm itself with tens of thousands of rockets.”