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Gaza militants launch barrages across border, Israel hits back with air strikes

[su_label type=”info”]SMA News – Agencies [/su_label][su_spacer size=”10″] Palestinian militants launched their heaviest barrages against Israel since the 2014 Gaza war on Tuesday and Israeli aircraft struck back, in a surge of fighting after weeks of border violence.
Following militant rocket and mortar launches throughout the day countered by Israeli tank fire and air strikes, the pro-Iran Islamic Jihad militant group said a ceasefire agreement was possible, but Israel said reports of a deal were untrue.
“Palestinian factions will abide by calm as long as (Israel) abides by it,” Islamic Jihad spokesman Daoud Shehab said. An Israeli official who declined to be named said, “The report about a ceasefire is incorrect.”
Israeli sirens warning of imminent rocket and mortar strikes sounded late into the night and Israeli aircraft hit 55 militant targets in the Gaza Strip, including a cross-border tunnel under construction, the military said.
Israel has long said it would not tolerate such attacks. There was no sign that calm would be restored at midnight (21:00 GMT), when the militants said the ceasefire could take effect.
The armed wings of Hamas and Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the firing and said it was in response to Israel’s killing of dozens of Palestinians since March 30, mainly in Gaza border protests.
“Qassam and Jerusalem Brigades (the groups’ armed wings) announce joint responsibility for bombarding (Israel’s) military installations and settlements near Gaza with dozens of rocket shells throughout the day,” they said in a joint statement.
“It comes in response to Zionist aggression and crimes against our people and our resistance fighters … in addition to war crimes conducted by the enemy every day against our people during the marches of return along the border of Gaza Strip.
“Bombardment for bombardment and blood for blood.”
Hamas has largely abided by a de-facto ceasefire since the 2014 war.

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