GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Tension between Israelis and Palestinians continue to threaten the fragile truce reached between the two sides under UN and Egyptian mediation in May.
The July 7 news about new trade measures and an industrial zone in Gaza as part of the understandings was preceded by threats to escalate incendiary balloon attacks on Israeli settlers living in the Gaza envelope. On June 27, a youth movement known as the Jihadist al-Barq Unit said it will continue to send balloons across the Gaza border fence. Meanwhile, Israel has threatened to launch a rocket for every incendiary balloon that reaches its territories.
Despite the flare-up, Israel has approved a series of new measures for the Gaza Strip, Makan revealed July 5. The measures, which come as part of the truce understandings with Hamas, include the entry of new materials to the Gaza Strip that were previously banned. Under the new measures, steel cables — used to build large fishing boats and banned for alleged use in tunnel construction — agricultural fertilizers, iron doors and aluminum household appliances will now be allowed into Gaza.
In late June, Israel has also allowed the entry of fuel to operate Gaza’s only power plant. The move has increased production capacity after Gaza had suffered more than 10 hours of power outages per day throughout the month of June.
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