Landing rockets from Gaza to Israel, deadly strikes by the Hebrew state targeting Hamas, and heavy clashes between Israeli police and Palestinian demonstrators in East Jerusalem: Israel and the Palestinians were engaged in one of the largest escalations of violence on Tuesday of recent years. At least 20 people, including nine children and a senior Hamas commander, died Monday evening in strikes attributed to the Israeli army carried out in the Gaza Strip in response to dozens of rockets fired from the Palestinian enclave, after new clashes that left more than 500 injured on the Esplanade des Mosques, the third holy place of Islam named Temple Mount by the Jews, in East Jerusalem.
According to a last assessment of the Israeli army shortly before midnight, more than 150 rockets had been fired from Gaza towards Israel, of which dozens were intercepted by the anti-missile shield “Iron Dome”. And as the salvos continued into the night, an Israeli Arab died of gunshot wounds on the sidelines of clashes with Israelis in the city of Lod (center), where cars were set on fire, local police said. without epilogue.
“Israel will react with force”
This violence coincided with “Jerusalem Day”, which according to the Hebrew calendar marks the capture of the eastern part, populated by Palestinians, of the Holy City by the Israeli army in 1967. And it comes after weeks of tensions in Jerusalem. “Terrorist organizations in Gaza have crossed a red line … by firing rockets into the Jerusalem area,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in the evening. “Israel will react with force (…), whoever attacks will pay a heavy price. I tell you, citizens of Israel, the current conflict could last for some time, ”added the prime minister, who was holding consultations late in the evening with the heads of the army and the internal secret service, the Shin Beth.
After violent clashes in the morning in Jerusalem, Hamas issued an ultimatum to Israel demanding that its forces withdraw by 6:00 p.m. from the Mosque Plaza, a hotbed of tensions between Palestinians and Israelis in the heart of the Old City. . And, at 6:00 p.m., a barrage of rockets was launched from this impoverished enclave of two million people, towards Israel. While the majority of the rockets were intercepted by the “Iron Dome” missile shield, some fell on Israeli territory, and an anti-tank missile was slightly injured in an Israeli locality bordering the Gaza Strip.
20 dead, including 9 children
“We hold Hamas responsible for these attacks,” said Jonathan Conricus, spokesman for the IDF, who has suspended a major military exercise due to the clashes. “We started hitting Hamas positions (…) and I mean ‘started’,” the official added, confirming that the Israeli army had targeted a senior Hamas commander in the northern Gaza Strip . Later that evening, the army added that it had targeted other members of the Islamist movement and stepped up strikes on the enclave. Local authorities in Gaza have reported 20 dead, including nine children, and many injured in the strikes, the largest since November 2019. Israeli rescuers reported three injured and seven people affected by panic attacks who were taken to hospital.
“The Al-Qassam Brigades (armed wing of Hamas) are now launching rockets against the enemy in occupied Jerusalem in response to its crimes and aggression against the Holy City,” they said in a brief message. “This is a message that the enemy must understand well: if you answer, we will answer. If you climb, we will climb ”.
EU calls for de-escalation
Monday evening, diplomatic sources told Agence France-Presse that the UN, with the help of Qatar and Egypt, had initiated mediation with the parties “concerned” in order to obtain a de-escalation. “It is imperative that all parties take measures” in this direction, for his part pleaded the American Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, while France said to fear a “large-scale escalation”.
For its part, the EU has stepped up appeals to both parties. “The significant outbreak of violence in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as well as Gaza and its environs, must end immediately,” she said. “All leaders have a responsibility to act against extremists. The status quo of holy places must be fully respected, ”she continues. “We reiterate our call on all parties to engage in de-escalation efforts. The priority must be to avoid further civilian casualties, ”says the EU.
The UN Security Council met on Monday urgently on the violence in Jerusalem, but without agreeing on a joint declaration, the United States judging that a “public message was not timely at this stage “, According to diplomats. After further consultations in the afternoon on the possibility of issuing a joint text calling for de-escalation, several diplomats said there should not be any on Monday.
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