Israel's Netanyahu ally Naftali Bennett criticises Hamas truce

A key partner in the Israeli leader's coalition said that his party would oppose any agreement put forward for a long term truce with Hamas

MENA

3 min read

The New Arab

14 August, 2018

307 Palestinians were wounded at the Friday protests [Getty]

A key partner in Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition on Tuesday condemned moves for a long-term truce agreement with Gaza's Palestinian group Hamas.

Education Minister Naftali Bennett, the head of the religious nationalist Jewish Home party, said his party would oppose such an agreement if it were put to a government vote.

"In light of the agreement being forged between Israel and Hamas, (Bennett) announced tonight that the Jewish Home Party would oppose an agreement based on a temporary calm," his office said in a statement.

Such a deal "would allow Hamas to rearm and regroup for the next round of terror", it said.

On Thursday, al-Aqsa TV channel reported an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire deal had taken hold "on the basis of mutual calm". It was the third such truce in recent weeks.

Israel scaled up its brutal violence against Palestinians in Gaza when protester held peaceful marches on the border with Israel, calling for their right to return to homes lost since the establishment of the Jewish state.

More than 130 Palestinians were wounded by Israeli bullets during protests on Friday, despite the informal truce ending a deadly flare-up between Gaza's ruling party Hamas and the Israeli army largely holding. A third died of his wounds on Saturday.

Later it was revealed that 307 Palestinians were wounded at the protests, including two journalists and five medics, the health ministry in the coastal enclave said. At least 131 Palestinians were wounded by Israeli bullets.

Earlier in the week, fighters in Gaza fired over 200 rockets at Israel with the Israeli military carrying out a similar number of airstrikes in Gaza in the latest round of violence.

Most of the rockets fired by Palestinian fighters landed in open areas, but at least two hit the Israeli town of Sderot and four people were wounded.

Three Palestinians were killed in the Israeli strikes, including a pregnant woman and her 18-month-old daughter, while seven Israelis were wounded by Palestinian rocket fire as hundreds took refuge in shelters.

It was one of the most serious escalations since the 2014 Gaza War and followed months of rising tensions.

Over 2 million Palestinians are packed into the Gaza Strip, which is experiencing deep economic hardship. Israel and Egypt, citing security concerns, keep tight restrictions on their land crossings with Gaza that have reduced its economy to a state of collapse.

UN and Egyptian-led efforts are underway to mediate a long-term ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, who have fought three wars since 2008. The bid is also meant to tackle humanitarian issues in Gaza and improve its economy.