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Hamas agreed on Tuesday to stop launching incendiary balloons from the Gaza Strip into Israel following talks with Egypt, Palestinian newspaper Al-Ayyam reported.
Since an Egyptian-mediated ceasefire brought an end to 11 days of fighting between Hamas and Israel in May, Gaza militants have sporadically sent explosive-laden balloons into Israel which responded by launching airstrikes on Hamas targets in the Palestinian enclave.
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Gaza terrorists preparing arson balloon before they are launched into Israel
(Photo: Gettyimages)
Palestinians say the balloons are aimed at pressing Israel to ease restrictions on Gaza and allow aid to reach the territory. Balloons launched on Monday sparked fires in Israeli fields along the Gaza border, Fire and Rescue Services said.
Crossborder violence has spiked despite an Israel announcing last week it will resume the transfer of Qatari aid money to Gaza, a decision that had been seen as bolstering the fragile truce.
On Monday evening, Israeli warplanes bombed Hamas sites in the seaside territory in response to the launch of incendiary balloons that caused brush fires in southern Israel.
The IDF said it hit a weapons factory belonging to the Islamist terror group in the southern town of Khan Younis, the entrance to a terror tunnel in Jabaliya and an underground rocket launching pad.
The army said the launching pad was located in a heavily populated area near a school in the Shejaiya neighborhood.
During clashes with Gaza protesters along the border who were burning tires and throwing explosives on Saturday, Israeli troops shot and wounded 41 Palestinians, critically injuring two, medics said. Palestinian gunfire seriously wounded an Israeli soldier, the military said.
Days before Saturday's violence, Gaza militants launched a rocket toward Israel that was shot down by the Iron Dome air defense system, in the first such attack since the May 21 ceasefire.