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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 22 January 2020

Israeli army kills 3 Palestinians after attack at Gaza fence

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) Israeli-Gaza frontier.
— The Israeli military said its The quiet is meant to bolster
soldiers killed three Palestin- an informal truce between
ians who crossed the Gaza Israel and Hamas being ne-
border fence and threw an gotiated by international
explosive device at troops mediators.
on Tuesday. Speaking to journalists,
The army said its troops Hamas official Khalil al-
fired on three suspects who Hayya accused the Israelis
crossed the security fence of moving too slowly.
and "hurled a grenade or He said the balloons had
an explosive device" at been launched by disgrun-
the soldiers. There was no tled individuals, not Hamas.
immediate comment from But he said his group was
the Gaza authorities. "satisfied" with the launches
The incident along the and is ready to send more
Gaza frontier threatened to "if the occupation doesn't
undermine efforts to reach pick up the message."
an informal cease-fire be- Israel and Egypt imposed
tween Israel and the Is- a blockade on Gaza after
lamic militant group Hamas Hamas, a militant group Family members of Hamouda Abu Amra gather around campfire to get warm in the winter's cold
that rules the Palestinian that seeks Israel's destruc- outside their destroyed house in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2020.
enclave. tion, seized control of Associated Press
Earlier in the day, a senior the territory in 2007. The
Hamas official said that blockade, combined with tween Gaza and the world, regrettable" in a briefing Palestinians, mostly un-
incendiary balloons Pales- Hamas mismanagement, help create more jobs and to the Security Council on armed, were killed by Israeli
tinians launched from the has devastated the local extend Qatari payments Tuesday. "These actions are fire during the marches and
Gaza Strip recently were a economy. for electricity and poor a risk to the civilian popula- hundreds of others were
signal to Israel to acceler- After three wars and doz- families. tion," he said. badly wounded. Israel,
ate unofficial "understand- ens of smaller skirmishes, The incendiary balloons For the past 20 months, which drew international
ings" meant to ease the the bitter enemies have have not caused any dam- Hamas organized weekly accusations of using exces-
crippling blockade 0on the been working through Qa- age or injuries on the Israeli demonstrations along the sive force, has said it is de-
Hamas-ruled territory. tari, Egyptian and U.N. me- side. But last week, an Israe- fence, demanding an end fending itself from attacks
The resumption of flam- diators to reach a series li military helicopter struck to the blockade. and attempts to breach
mable balloons and other of "understandings" that an alleged Hamas target in The protests often turned vi- the border.
explosive devices flown would ease the blockade Gaza in response to the re- olent, including burning of Hovering around 50%, Ga-
across the border broke in exchange for guaran- sumption of the launches. tires, throwing of explosives za's unemployment rate is
a month of calm that has tees of quiet. Al-Hayya said The U.N.'s Mideast envoy, and launching of hundreds one of the world's highest
largely prevailed since Hamas expects Israel to al- Nickolay Mladenov, called of incendiary balloons that and most of of its 2 million
Hamas suspended its low in more medical sup- the renewed balloon torched large swaths of Is- people rely on humanitar-
weekly protests along the plies, unlimited trade be- launches "concerning and raeli farmland. Over 200 ian assistance. q
Iran says it is preparing for satellite launch

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran munications Minister Mo- es with national holidays. It tion color cameras and will research and other civilian
said Sunday that two newly hammad Javad Azari Jah- will celebrate the 41st anni- monitor and transmit data applications. The U.S. and
constructed satellites have romi tweeted about the versary of the Islamic Revo- on natural resources as well other Western countries
passed pre-launch tests development, calling it an lution next month. as agricultural and environ- have long been suspicious
and will be transported to "important research step." Iran's largely state-run me- mental developments. of the program because
the nation's space center Iran has not said when it will dia say the 90-kilogram Iran says its satellite pro- the same technology can
for eventual launch, with- launch the satellites, but of- (200-pound) Zafar satellites gram, like its nuclear ac- be used to develop long-
out elaborating. Telecom- ten coordinates its launch- each have four high-resolu- tivities, is aimed at scientific range missiles.q