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Flare-up dims truce hopes along Israel-Gaza border | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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A Palestinian woman holds a picture depicting her jailed son during a protest calling for the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails outside the Church of the Nativity in the West Bank town of Bethlehem December 24, 2008 (REUTERS)


A Palestinian woman holds a picture depicting her jailed son during a protest calling for the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails outside the Church of the Nativity in the West Bank town of Bethlehem December 24, 2008 (REUTERS)

A Palestinian woman holds a picture depicting her jailed son during a protest calling for the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails outside the Church of the Nativity in the West Bank town of Bethlehem December 24, 2008 (REUTERS)

GAZA, (Reuters) – An Israeli air strike killed a Hamas gunman in the Gaza Strip after Palestinian militants fired dozens of rockets and mortars into southern Israel on Wednesday, dampening prospects for a renewed ceasefire.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s government said it had shown restraint until now but vowed to act if the salvoes continued. Aides to Olmert, who met his security cabinet, would not say what options were under discussion.

Before nightfall on Wednesday, militants had fired more than 30 rockets and 30 mortar shells at Israel. While most fell in unpopulated areas, two struck homes, causing damage but no injuries.

In addition to makeshift rockets that landed near the border, Hamas, the Islamist group that controls the Gaza Strip, said it fired two longer-range Grad rockets, and threatened to expand the “circle of fire” deeper into Israel.

An Israeli military spokesman said Wednesday’s air strike hit a group of militants who had just fired mortars at Israel.

Palestinian medical workers said one Hamas militant was killed in the strike and two other Palestinians were wounded, including a cameraman from Hamas’s television station.

The latest violence erupted on Tuesday night when Israeli soldiers killed three Hamas gunmen. The army said the men were preparing to plant explosives along the border.

The rocket salvoes that followed, fired by Hamas and the Islamic Jihad militant group, prompted Israel to reverse its decision to allow aid supplies into the coastal enclave through border crossings controlled by the military.

Israeli Defence Ministry official Peter Lerner said the crossings would remain closed until further notice.

Israel and Hamas have signalled interest in extending the six-month truce, which expired on Friday. But if the cross-border violence continues, both have threatened a wider confrontation that could result in heavy casualties on both sides.

U.S. State Department spokesman Robert Wood told reporters Washington was supporting efforts by Egypt to restore calm and was concerned about the effect an escalation of tensions would have on the people in Gaza.

“Hamas is still firing rockets into Israel and they’re obviously not concerned about the impact of any potential major flare-up,” he said, calling the militant group the “root cause” of the tensions.

Hamas’s armed wing, vowing to continue rocket attacks, said, “We warn the Zionist enemy that any new aggression against Gaza will blow up like a volcano in the face of the occupiers.”

Olmert, who will leave office after a February election, has sought to tone down calls within Israel for a major Gaza offensive that could spark an international outcry and disrupt U.S.-backed peace talks. But Israeli officials suggested patience may be running out.

“Israel has demonstrated, up until now, enormous restraint,” Regev said. “Our position has been, and continues to be, that quiet will be met by quiet. But if attacks continue, we will act to defend our people.”

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas predicted “more danger” ahead and said he was pressing for a comprehensive ceasefire.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, whose country brokered the lapsed truce, planned to discuss prospects for renewing the accord during talks on Thursday in Cairo with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Israeli officials said.

Israel and Hamas trade blame over the ceasefire’s collapse.

Hamas says Israel failed to make good on a commitment to ease its blockade of the Gaza Strip by allowing in more food and medical supplies to alleviate severe shortages.

Israel says it started to open the crossings to more goods but Hamas failed to halt the rocket fire.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, center, and Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi, right, view a map during a tour to the expended boundaries of Jerusalem, Dec. 23, 2008 (AP)

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, center, and Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi, right, view a map during a tour to the expended boundaries of Jerusalem, Dec. 23, 2008 (AP)

Christian worshippers light candles inside the Church of Nativity, believed by many to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ, in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, Dec. 24, 2008 (AP)

Christian worshippers light candles inside the Church of Nativity, believed by many to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ, in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, Dec. 24, 2008 (AP)