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A30 world news
Dialuna 24 Mei 2021

Hamas defiant with military parade, appearance of top leader

ble. Underlying issues remain unre- tinian news agency Wafa.
solved, including an Israeli-Egyptian
border blockade, now in its 14th year, An Egyptian diplomat said that two
that is choking Gaza’s more than 2 teams of mediators were in Israel and
million residents and a refusal by the the Palestinian territories to continue
Islamic militant Hamas to disarm. talks on firming up a cease-fire deal
and securing long-term calm.
The U.N. Security Council released
a statement Saturday, welcoming the The diplomat said discussions include
cease-fire and stressing “the immedi- implementing agreed-on measures in
ate need for humanitarian assistance Gaza and Jerusalem, including ways
to the Palestinian civilian population, to prevent practices that led to the lat-
particularly in Gaza.” est fighting. He did not elaborate. He
was apparently referring to violence at
Thousands rallied in the Israeli city the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the planned
of Tel Aviv, calling for coexistence be- eviction of Palestinian families from
tween Jews and Arabs. the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in
east Jerusalem.
The fighting began on May 10,
when Hamas militants in Gaza fired The diplomat spoke on condition of
long-range rockets toward Jerusa- anonymity to discuss behind-the-
lem. The barrage came after days of scenes deliberations.
clashes between Palestinian protest-
ers and Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa Separately, a 130-truck convoy with
Mosque compound. Heavy-handed humanitarian aid and medical sup-
police tactics at the compound and plies reached the Gaza border from
the threatened eviction of dozens of Egypt on Saturday, according to a
Palestinian families by Jewish settlers senior Egyptian official at the border
had inflamed tensions. crossing. He spoke on condition of
anonymity because he was not autho-
The war has further sidelined Hamas’ rized to speak to reporters.
main political rival, the international-
ly backed Palestinian Authority, which Across Gaza, an assessment of the
oversees autonomous enclaves in the damage to the territory’s already de-
Israeli-occupied West Bank. Hamas’ crepit infrastructure began.
popularity seemed to be growing as it
positioned itself as a defender of Pal- The ministry of public works and
estinian claims to Jerusalem. housing said that 769 housing and
commercial units were rendered
(AP) — Hundreds of masked of damage,” said Ashour Subeih, who On Friday, hours after the cease-fire uninhabitable, at least 1,042 units in
Hamas fighters brandishing as- sells baby clothes. “We thought the took effect, thousands of Palestinians 258 buildings were destroyed and
sault rifles paraded in Gaza City strike was a bit further from us. But in the Al-Aqsa compound chanted just over 14,500 units suffered minor
and the group’s top leader made as you can see not an area of the shop against Palestinian President Mah- damage.
his first public appearance on is intact.” Having been in business for moud Abbas and his self-rule gov-
Saturday, in a defiant show of one year, Subeih estimated his losses ernment. “Dogs of the Palestinian The United Nations said about
strength after the militants’ 11- were double what he has made so far. Authority, out, out,” they shouted, 800,000 people in Gaza do not have
day war with Israel. and “The people want the president regular access to clean piped water, as
Drone video and photos showed to leave.” nearly 50% of the water network was
Saturday marked the first full day of some city blocks reduced to rubble, damaged in the fighting.
a cease-fire, and Egyptian mediators in between homes and businesses left It was an unprecedented display of
held talks to firm up the truce which standing. anger against Abbas. The conflict also Israel has said it was targeting Hamas’
ended the fourth Israel-Hamas war in brought to the surface deep frustra- military infrastructure, including a
just over a decade. Both Israel and Hamas have claimed tion among Palestinians, whether vast tunnel system running under
victory. in the occupied West Bank, Gaza or roads and homes, as well as com-
In the fighting, Israel unleashed hun- within Israel, over the status quo, mand centers, rocket launchers and
dreds of airstrikes against militant On Saturday, hundreds of Hamas with the Israeli-Palestinian peace the homes of commanders. The Is-
targets in Gaza, while Hamas and fighters wearing military camouflage process all but abandoned for years. raeli military has said it was trying to
other militants fired more than 4,000 paraded past the mourning tent for minimize harm to civilians and ac-
rockets toward Israel. More than 250 Bassem Issa, a senior commander Despite his weakened status, Abbas cused Hamas of using civilians as hu-
people were killed, the vast majority killed in the fighting. The top Hamas will be the point of contact for any man shields.
of them Palestinians. leader in Gaza, Yehiyeh Sinwar, paid renewed U.S. diplomacy, since Israel
his respects in his first public appear- and the West, including the United The Gaza Health Ministry says at
In Gaza City, residents began assess- ance since the war began. States, consider Hamas a terrorist or- least 248 Palestinians were killed, in-
ing damage. ganization. cluding 66 children and 39 women,
Israel bombed the house of Sin- with 1,910 people wounded. It does
One of Gaza City’s busiest commer- war, along with that of other senior U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blink- not differentiate between fighters and
cial areas, Omar al-Mukhtar Street, Hamas figures, as part of its attack on en is to meet with Abbas and Israeli civilians. Twelve people were killed
was covered in debris, smashed cars what it said was the group’s military leaders when he visits in the com- in Israel, all but one of them civil-
and twisted metal after a 13-floor infrastructure. Israel’s defense minis- ing week. Abbas is expected to raise ians, including a 5-year-old boy and
building in its center was flattened ter, Benny Gantz, has said Israel de- demands that any Gaza reconstruc- 16-year-old girl.
in an Israeli airstrike. Merchandise livered a punishing blow to Hamas, tion plans go through the Palestin-
was covered in soot and strewn inside and that top Hamas figures remained ian Authority to avoid strengthening Israel has accused Hamas and the
smashed stores and on the pavement. targets. Hamas. smaller militant group of Islamic
Municipal workers swept broken Jihad of hiding the actual number
glass and twisted metal from streets Still, there was a widespread expec- Abbas met Saturday with Egyptian of fighters killed in the war. Prime
and sidewalks. tation that the cease-fire would stick mediators, discussing the rebuilding Minister Netanyahu said Friday that
for now, even if another round of of Gaza and internal Palestinian rela- more than 200 militants were killed,
“We really didn’t expect this amount fighting at some point seems inevita- tions, according to the official Pales- including 25 senior commanders.