Gaza City – An explosion in Gaza killed six Hamas gunmen on Saturday, the group said. It blamed the incident on Israel, which declined comment.
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A statement from the Palestinian Islamist group’s armed wing called the incident a “deplorable Zionist crime” perpetrated against its fighters.
“During a complicated security and intelligence operation conducted by Qassam Brigades to investigate a serious and a grave security incident conducted by the Zionist enemy against Palestinian resistance, a deplorable crime took place against our Mujahideen in the area of Zawayda in central Gaza Strip,” it said.
Reuters television captured a pillar of smoke rising above the village of Zawayda near the coast of Gaza, far from the border with Israel where tensions have escalated in recent weeks.
The exact circumstances of the blast were unclear and Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, provided no further details.
An Israeli military spokesman declined to comment on the incident, although a more junior official had earlier denied the army was involved.
Israel and the West designate Hamas as a terrorist organization.
Israel withdrew its troops and settlers from Gaza in 2005. But, citing security concerns, Israel maintains a naval blockade of the coastal territory, keeping tight restrictions on the movement of Palestinians and goods across the frontier.
Egypt, battling an Islamist insurgency in neighboring Sinai, keeps its border with Gaza largely closed.
Forty-three Palestinians have been shot and killed by Israeli forces since March 30, when Gazans began weekly protests dubbed “The Great March of Return” along the border with Israel.
Facing international censure over its use of live fire in the protests, Israel says it is protecting its border and takes such action only when protesters, some hurling fire-bombs and trying to plant explosives, come too close.
As Israel celebrates its 70th birthday, Palestinians mourn what they call the “Nakba” (Catastrophe) of their people’s mass dispossession during the conflict that broke out in 1948.
Two-thirds of the 2 million Palestinians in Gaza are war refugees or their descendants. The protests have seen thousands gather to demand access to their families’ lost homes or lands, now in Israel.
Israel says Hamas is using the protests as cover to try to carry out attacks. Hamas denies the accusation.
sad, NOT !!!
Kein yirbu.
May the Lord bless the IDF and those who stand up for Israel, celebrating 70 years of renewal and achievement.
In this article you state the two thirds of the two millions Palestinians in Gaza are war refugees or their descendants. These figures don’t seem to be correct. The Palestinians who later on became “The Refugees” did not seek refuge in Gaza but in Lebanon,Syria and Jordan. And that is where most of them still are. Check it out.
I guess those terrorists didn’t take precautions when dealing with explosives such as not smoking. One of the mothers said “our boys blew up so fast”.
While you copied and article from Reuters, known to be anti Israel, the title of this post.is an egregious mistake. A ”gunmen”.is a guy that holds up a bank or accosts you un a subway. Hamas members are TERRORISTS who want to murder us for the crime if being a Jew. I ask with all respect,please do not desecrate the memory of those murdered by Hamas by calling them ”gunmen.” Please adjust your article’s title.
Population of Gaza is 679,000
People who let palestinians are like people who think autistic people should be allowed to vote, they think it’s human “rights” but really there’s no such thing, for example, I’m Republican and trump supporter but guns and free speech should be banned.