BICOM

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has scaled down its presence on the Gaza border. Intelligence assessments are that fewer people will gather on the border and there will be fewer violent attacks.

Yesterday, the security services said that it had successfully blocked all efforts by Gaza protestors to infiltrate Israel on the border and said it will continue its efforts to prevent a humanitarian disaster in the Strip and try to reach understandings with Hamas on a period of calm.

The “March of Return” organisers have said that today is “for the martyrs and the wounded”. Hamas is also encouraging Palestinians in the West Bank to participate in the protests by going to checkpoints to clash with Israeli security forces.

Israeli police and Border Police have been deployed in Jerusalem in anticipation of the arrival of tens of thousands of Palestinians from the West Bank to the mosques in Jerusalem’s Old City for Ramadan prayers. Despite the tension, Israel has said it is keen to maintain safety and ensure Palestinian freedom of worship.

The IDF announced yesterday that it has repaired damage to the oil and gas pipelines at the Kerem Shalom crossing after arson attacks on the Gaza side. The crossing was closed for six days to allow for repair works. Yesterday Israel facilitated the transfer of 600 trucks bringing goods into Gaza.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi ordered the Rafah crossing to open for the entire month of Ramadan in order to ease the plight of the residents of the Gaza Strip. The border with the Gaza Strip is mostly shut but opens at regular intervals.

Egypt has transferred 50 tons of food and five tons of medical aid to the Gaza Strip. A total of 35 trucks carrying cement and construction materials and seven diesel fuel tanks were brought into Gaza through the Rafah crossing.

The IDF believes Hamas will maintain protests on the Gaza border and Hamas announced that they intend to organise another major demonstration on 5 June, the 51st anniversary of the start of the 1967 Six-Day War.