BICOM

Hamas is currently pressing other groups in Gaza in an effort to reduce rocket attacks on Israel and to prevent an Israeli retaliation, according to a report in the Jerusalem Post this morning. The paper quoted Hamas officials as saying that they were urging the smaller organisations directly engaged in rocket attacks to abide by the unofficial ceasefire which has been in place since the conclusion of Operation Cast Lead in early 2009. Hamas, according to the report, has issued threats against Palestinian organisations seeking to engage in attacks on Israel. A movement official, Ayman Taha, explained that the movement did not want to give Israel an ‘excuse’ to launch a new operation.

Three Thai workers employed on a border Kibbutz in the Shaar Hanegev region were injured on Saturday by a mortar shell. In a separate incident, an IDF soldier was killed by ‘friendly fire’ in the course of an exchange of fire between IDF troops and Palestinian gunmen on the Gaza border on Friday. Last night, meanwhile, Israeli aircraft struck two targets in the Gaza Strip associated with terror activity, in response to the increase in rockets and mortar shells fired at Israel over the weekend.