Palestine flashpoints: Chaos after spiked ceasefire in Gaza
As a Palestinian delegation continues its meetings with Egyptian officials in Cairo amid a "positive" atmosphere, Israel was accused of breaking a seven-hour humanitarian ceasefire minutes after it was due to begin. Civil defence forces are continuing to pull bodies from the rubble throughout the Gaza Strip, and al-Qassam Brigades claim to have struck a kibbutz in southern Israel with two missiles.
- Al-Shati refugee camp saw chaotic scenes on Monday morning, after a strike that killed a young child and injured at least 30 other people at the al-Bakri family home. The attack was launched minutes after the start of a seven-hour unilateral ceasefire announced by Israel. Civil defence forces on the ground are reporting that they are unable to get their cars to the site of the attack because the alleyways are so narrow - instead, they are working with their hands to save people trapped in the rubble, reports satellite channel Palestine Today.
- An Israeli military spokesperson said the army is looking into the reports. Responding to the attack, presumed to have been launched by Israeli air forces, Hamas said:
“The attack on the al-Bakri family home in eastern Gaza after the start of the Israeli ceasefire is evidence of the occupation's lies."
"It shows that the ceasefire announced was simply for media consumption."
Hamas had previously commented after Israel announced its unilateral ceasefire, saying it was “simply for media consumption.”
Islamic Jihad also responded to the attack, saying it confirms “the lack of respect for any obligations.” Later, their spokesperson told Palestine Today that the ceasefire announcement had been an attempt to “beautify” Israel’s international reputation.
- Bodies are still being raised from the rubble in Shejaiya, Beit Lahiya and Rafah.
- The Israeli army claimed to have struck over 100 targets in the Gaza Strip overnight, killing a senior Islamic Jihad commander as well as at least 10 other people.
The army said it had destroyed two tunnels, after announcing on Sunday that it had only one known tunnel left to raze.
According to Israeli news site Ynet News, Hamas fired 119 mortar rounds and rockets towards Israeli territory throughout Sunday - only eight of the rockets fired were intercepted by the Iron Dome protection system.
- 25 Palestinians and five Israeli police officers were wounded at Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa Mosque, when clashes broke out within the compound. A Palestinian guard at the compound alleged that Israeli police officers had stormed the site, firing rubber bullets towards the worshippers. The Israeli police announced that they had been responding to “riots begun by Arabs”, during which stones and fireworks were thrown at their forces.
- 18 Palestinians were arrested in the West Bank on Monday, reported Jordan’s news agency Petra. Israeli forces launched raids across a number of cities including Hebron, Jenin, Bethlehem and Jerusalem.
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