Fresh Violence Erupts in Palestine and Israel
New violence in Palestine and Israel could result in the termination of a fragile ceasefire that barely brought to end a summer of fighting.
The New York Times reports that the violence erupted when Israeli soldiers operating in Israeli territory came under sniper fire. The Israeli troops called in air support and the Israeli military attacked Hamas positions in the area surrounding where the initial shots were fired.
A 33-year-old Hamas fighter named Tayseer al-Samari was killed in the battle. Hamas said he was the leader of Gaza's southern reconnaissance unit. An Israeli soldier was seriously wounded in the chest.
The Times says Hamas closed its police stations and ordered evacuations of many areas in the Gaza Strip, fearing Israeli airstrikes. In the brief campaign over the summer, Israeli airstrikes and artillery bombardment leveled entire neighborhoods in Gaza, leaving thousands homeless. The Times notes that around 96,000 homes were destroyed. More than 2,000 Palestinians died in that brief conflict, while 67 Israeli soldiers and six Israeli civilians lost their lives.
In an effort to keep the tensions from escalating, Hamas called on the Egyptian government to intervene.
Tensions had already increased because last week, rogue militants in Gaza had fired a rocket into Israel, prompting Israeli airstrikes. Adding to the tensions is the poor quality of life of the Palestinians in Gaza. Many Palestinians are upset that they have nothing to show for the summer's bloodshed, and the Palestinian government has been slow to distribute aid to help people get back on their feet.
For example, foreign governments and aid groups promised $5.4 billion that has been set aside to help rebuild homes and business in Gaza, but that money has not arrived in any meaningful amount.
