BICOM

Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qasem said yesterday that Israel was complying with a delicate ceasefire arrangement that has yet to be formally acknowledged by Israel.

Qasem said: “This package of understandings is one of the achievements of the Great Return [refering to months of violent protests on the Gaza-Israel  border], aimed to highlight the national rights.”

Israel reportedly opened Gaza’s fishing zone to 10 miles on Tuesday, having shut it completely last week after two missiles were fired from Gaza, one of which hit a school in Sderot which was empty at the time.

According to reports, Hamas has agreed to reduce violent border protests and other acts of violence, in return for a series of Israeli-backed international measures to bolster Gaza’s crumbling water and electricity infrastructure, ease movement at crossings and expand employment opportunities.

On Wednesday a Qatari delegation led by envoy Mohammed al-Emadi delivered $15m in cash to Gaza. Emadi told Al Jazeera on Sunday that 100,000 poor families will receive an $100 cash handout.

Israeli water company Mekorot has begun building a new water pipeline, according to Israeli media reports, whilst Qatari engineers have been discussing the construction of a new power line to increase the provision of electricity from the Israeli grid.

The standoff between Israel and armed groups in the Gaza Strip, which is governed by Hamas, remains extremely delicate. Violent protests at the border remain a source of tension, as do frequent launches of incendiary balloons into Israeli territory, and periodic missile and sniper fire. In May, violence rapidly escalated into an intensive two day conflict in which 25 Palestinians and 4 Israelis were killed.