Israel warned the residents of Gaza not to participate in a planned border protest Friday, days after a burst of cross border violence between Israel and Gaza ended in a fragile cease-fire.
The Israel Defense Force's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories Kamil Abu Rokon warned Gazans in a video posted on Facebook that "Hamas is the mastermind of the violent marches on the border and anyone who comes 100 meters [yards] from the fence will put themselves in danger. Consider yourself warned."
Palestinian organizers of the weekly riots in the Gaza Strip along the Israeli border said they would hold another protest on Friday – in a key test of this week's cease-fire between Israel and Gaza terrorist groups.
Tuesday's cease-fire ended the heaviest fighting between Israel and Gaza's Hamas rulers since 2014's Operation Protective Edge.
The fighting was fueled in part by the demonstrations. Since late March, thousands of Gazans have joined the Hamas-led demonstrations.
Protesters frequently lob grenades, flaming tires and firebombs toward Israeli troops, who respond with tear gas and live fire. Some 170 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire. Israel says it is defending its border against terrorist attackers.
Hamas had lowered the intensity of the protests in recent weeks as U.N. and Egyptian mediators made progress toward an unofficial agreement with Israel.
But then, a burst of fighting erupted after a botched Israeli undercover military operation in Gaza on Sunday.
Gaza terrorists fired 460 rockets into Israel, while the Israeli Air Force struck 160 targets in Gaza. The fighting left a total of 14 Palestinians, including 12 terrorists, dead. An Israeli officer was killed during the Gaza raid and a Palestinian laborer who worked in Israel was killed in a rocket attack in Ashkelon Monday.
In their announcement, protest organizers in Gaza urged people to demonstrate Friday "to thank the resistance" for battling Israel.
But in statements on Facebook, organizers also urged demonstrators to keep their distance from the border fence, a sign that Friday's protest would likely be restrained.
In another sign of emerging calm, Hamas announced Thursday that Egyptian mediators had arrived in Gaza to work on deepening the cease-fire arrangement with Israel.
Hamas and its supporters have celebrated the cease-fire as a victory against the powerful Israeli military.
According to Rokon, "In recent days, we were subjected to a very serious incident with rockets fired toward Israel. The IDF responded powerfully, with a strong hand. I want to send a clear message to the rioters on the security fence and to anyone who takes part in what is known as the 'March of Return' [border demonstrations], which have turned into marches of violence and terrorist activity. If you are planning on carrying out a terrorist act at the security fence on Friday, we know very well that these acts are not spontaneous. We know that the terrorist organization Hamas is masterminding, pulling the strings and spearheading these acts."
Rokon issued a warning to protesters, saying, "Our patience has worn thin, and we will respond harshly. Anyone who destroys the fence or tries to damage it or tries to cross into Israel will be doing it at their own peril. Anyone who launches explosives, grenades or Molotov cocktails will be putting themselves in danger. Anyone who launches firebomb balloons will be putting themselves in danger."
He concluded by suggesting that Gaza's residents "wake up and realize that Hamas and the other terrorist organizations are leading you toward your destruction. Realize this before it is too late. Consider yourselves warned."
