Hundreds of Palestinian rioters gathered along the Gaza Strip border for a sixth consecutive day on Wednesday, as Gazan workers remained unable to transit into Israel. The riots began shortly after six Palestinians were killed in the West Bank and Gaza within a 24-hour period.
Amid the riots, Palestinian terrorists reportedly launched incendiary and explosive balloons from Gaza toward Israel. According to Palestinian media reports, four Palestinians were wounded by live fire.
The unrest comes after a significant period of quiet on the Gaza border. The violence also comes amid clashes with Israeli forces during daily raids in the West Bank and as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promotes efforts to reach a normalization deal with Saudi Arabia during his New York trip, a deal which Saudi and American officials have insisted will include concessions for the Palestinians.
Due to the continued violence, the Erez crossing, which thousands of Gazans with work permits use to exit and enter Israel, has been closed for three additional days since the end of its usual closure on Rosh Hashanah. On Wednesday night, Israeli officials informed Palestinian officials that the crossing would remain closed on Thursday as well, according to Palestinian media.
Gazan arrested with knife in Tel Aviv
Meanwhile, security forces on Wednesday arrested a resident of Gaza’s Jabalya refugee camp with a work permit while he was carrying a butcher’s knife at Tel Aviv’s Savidor Train Station.
The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) on Monday said an attempt to smuggle explosives from Gaza to the West Bank earlier this month appeared to have been arranged by Hamas.
Violence continues in West Bank, Gaza
On Tuesday, a Palestinian identified as Yousef Salem Radwan, 25, was reportedly shot dead by Israeli forces during riots on the Gaza border.
On Wednesday, a Palestinian was killed in armed clashes with Israeli forces in the Aqabat Jabr refugee camp near Jericho, according to Palestinian reports.
“The escalation of the occupation’s crimes and terrorism against our people and our sanctuaries, especially blessed al-Aqsa Mosque, will not pass without a response,” Hamas said Tuesday after the violence in Gaza and the West Bank.
The riots on the border were being conducted to amplify the Palestinians’ economic demands, sources in the Palestinian factions told Haaretz on Wednesday, adding that the factions were not interested in a larger conflict with Israel at this time.
On Wednesday, Lebanon’s al-Akhbar newspaper cited sources in Hamas as saying the terrorist movement sees Qatar’s role in the current situation as “negative,” adding that Qatar was working with Israel to prevent an escalation during the High Holy Days by holding back funds intended for Hamas civil servants in Gaza.
Qatar facilitates a periodic grant for Gaza, including funds for families in need, fuel for the power station, and the salaries of civil servants working in the Hamas-controlled government.