The Defense Ministry said Saturday it would close Israel's border crossings to Gaza workers after a series of rockets were fired from the territory controlled by the Hamas terrorist group in recent days.
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The rocket fire came amid near-daily clashes at the Temple Mount over the past week, with Palestinians hurling stones and fireworks and Israeli soldiers entering the compound and firing rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades.
Hamas fired two rockets into Israel late Friday, with one landing in an open area inside Israel and the other falling inside Gaza. Palestinian media said that two residents were wounded by the rocket that fell short.
Another rocket was fired from the strip early Saturday, but the military did not specify where it landed. There were no reports of casualties or damage.
The IDF's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories said the crossing used by workers would not be re-opened on Sunday.
"The re-opening of the crossing will be decided accordingly with a security assessment," it said in a statement.
In recent months, Israel had issued thousands of work permits to Gazans as a goodwill gesture, mostly for work in construction.
The Gaza workers union said the closure was "collective punishment" and Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said the move "aims at tightening the siege and is a form of aggression that we cannot accept."
"This will not succeed. The police of collective punishment against the Palestinians has always proven to fail," he told The Associated Press.
The violence in Jerusalem and a string of deadly terrorist attacks perpetrated by Palestinians inside Israel have raised fears of another war between Israel and Hamas, similar to last year's May fighting.
The IDF said it did not think Hamas was interested in an escalation at the moment. Nevertheless, it is expected to remain on high alert as it deemed the next two weeks challenging in terms of the conflict.
It might also recruit more reserve troops to protect the so-called "seam zone" – a term used to refer to an area east of the Green Line and west of the Jerusalem-adjacent security fence. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi is expected to discuss the matter on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Hamas terrorists are building tunnels in Gaza as part of preparations for the next war with Israel, according to a report.
A Palestinian Islamic Jihad official told AFP that the movement has defensive and offensive tunnel systems. The commander said the latter "is used for taking Israeli soldiers captive, repelling Israeli ground offensives, and carrying out various field operations."
The tunnels have electric lighting, a ventilation system, and telecom cables. They also come complete with small rooms to store weapons and communication, according to the report.
Israel has fortified its border with Gaza by using a barrier that goes underground and is made of steel.
"We will let the days and the battles to do the talking about the ability of the resistance to break through this so-called [Israeli] barrier," Al-Quds Brigade spokesman Abu Hamza told AFP.
One fighter sitting near one of the tunnel entrances was reported as saying, "We've received instructions to mobilize and be on high alert to defend the Al-Aqsa mosque and Jerusalem. The rockets are on high alert, and we're waiting for the leadership to decide."
JNS.org contributed to this report.
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