BICOM

Israeli  soldiers were shot at while patrolling the Gaza border yesterday. Israel responded by shelling two Hamas targets in Gaza.

The soldiers were carrying out routine activities near the border fence when they were fired upon. No injuries were reported but an army engineering vehicle was damaged. It is not clear at this stage who was responsible for shooting at the soldiers.

In response, Israel hit two strategic Hamas targets in Beit Lahiya in the northern part of the Gaza strip. Palestinian sources did not report any injuries.

Yesterday’s exchange followed two rocket attacks on southern Israel this week. Both rockets landed in open areas without causing injury or damage. But on both occasions, Israel responded by striking Hamas positions in the Gaza Strip. Although no group has taken responsibility for the attacks, Israel holds Hamas, the de facto ruling power in Gaza, responsible for all such incidents.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week reiterated his government’s policy that “we respond to all fire at our territory”.

The UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, Nickolay Mladenov, condemned this week’s rocket attacks, saying that “such provocation seek only to undermine peace.”

The Hamas-affiliated Al-Majd website said yesterday that that Hamas could take a more aggressive approach towards the type of clashes seen this week.“The ‘mechanism’ has red lines. Public opinion in the Gaza Strip sees the need to respond to the IDF attacks, and Israel must understand that the formula has changed and may be based on the principle of an assault for an assault.”

Yahya Sinwar, the new Hamas leader in Gaza, is considered a hardline member of Hamas’s military wing and favours a more aggressive policy.