Despite reports of a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza on Friday, southern Israel continued to burn over the weekend in the wake of ongoing incendiary balloon attacks and border riots.
Fourteen brush fires erupted in Gaza envelope communities, while Hamas' so-called balloon unit said on Facebook: "Despite the Zionist occupation's claims of a cease-fire, we haven't received any directives to halt the balloon launches, and today too we will continue to launch them with full force."
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All the fires, aside from three larger ones in the Shaar Hanegev and Eshkol regions, were quickly contained within minutes.
Thousands of Palestinians protested along the volatile Gaza-Israel frontier, hours after the reported agreement to honor a past cease-fire.
The unofficial truce, mediated by Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations, emphasizes calm in exchange for Israeli measures to improve living conditions in the blockaded coastal enclave.
But during the protests, Palestinian youths were seen launching incendiary balloons toward Israeli farmland. Others approached the heavily guarded fence at several locations. A Molotov cocktail was thrown at an IDF jeep.
Israeli troops opened fire and lobbed tear gas in retaliation. Gaza's health ministry said 19 of them were wounded by live fire.
Earlier on Friday, Israel restored fuel supplies to the Gaza Strip's sole power plant and expanded the permitted fishing zone, easing some recent restrictions. The restrictions had been placed in response to the incendiary balloons that recently sparked wildfires in southern Israel.
An Israeli official confirmed Palestinian reports that Israel had resumed fuel deliveries that were cut off earlier this week, and extended the fishing zone up to 15 nautical miles from 10 nautical miles.
The official said that in return, Hamas "promised to halt the attacks on Israel," a reference to the balloons and riots along the border. The official spoke on condition of anonymity.
Hamas said it "won't allow the occupation to retreat" from cease-fire terms.
The truce was attacked by the Blue and White party.
"Hamas controls both sides of the fence," said Blue and White Party co-leader Yair Lapid.
"The routine of rockets, fires and fake agreements with Hamas is a disgrace," tweeted Blue and White member Yoaz Hendel.
