A senior Hamas official on Monday told Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar that if Israel doesn't implement ceasefire understandings by allowing the transfer of monthly financial aid from Qatar, in addition to increasing the electricity supply to Gaza by Friday, August 23, the Gaza-based terrorist group would escalate hostilities along the border.
According to the Hamas official, Hamas was once again calling on Egyptian, Qatari and United Nations mediators to pressure Israel to implement the understandings post haste, due to the "seething atmosphere in Gaza" which could lead to the renewal of "independent acts" and attempts to infiltrate Israel.
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The warning comes amid heightened tensions in recent days in the southern sector. Rockets were fired on Friday and Saturday nights at Israeli communities. One of the rockets struck the city of Sderot and on Saturday night paramedics treated six people suffering from shock.
In response, Israeli Air Force jets struck several Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.
Palestinian media reported that Israeli jets targeted a Hamas outpost in the Tuffah district of Gaza City as well as targets in nearby Jabaliya and Khan Younis.
The IDF said it struck two Hamas terror tunnels in northern and central Gaza.
Shortly after midnight on Sunday, a group of armed Palestinian terrorists was engaged by IDF troops as they attempted to breach the Israel-Gaza border, in what an IDF spokesperson described as a "serious security incident."
An IDF attack helicopter and tank opened fire at the would-be infiltrators, the IDF said. Palestinian medics said they retrieved three bodies from the site and Gaza hospital officials said that a fourth man was wounded.
Meanwhile, Palestinian media outlets have reported that Qatari envoy Mohammed Al-Emadi was expected to arrive in the region on Wednesday.
He is expected to meet with senior Israeli officials and then continue to Gaza, where he will meet with Hamas leaders in an effort to preserve the ceasefire agreement and secure the transfer of Qatari aid money to the people of Gaza.
