Israel Insists On Holding Qatar Aid And Refuses To Loosen Restrictions, Hamas: We Won't Stay Silent!

Illustration of Hamas soldiers. (Antara/REUTERS/Mohammed Salem/wsj

JAKARTA - Armed clashes between Israel and Hamas are threatened again, as international mediators fail to reach an agreement on aid from Qatar for the Gaza Strip and the easing of restrictions.

Israel's failure to relax restrictions, as well as facilitate the reconstruction of homes destroyed during the 11-day war with Hamas in May, means the countdown to military confrontation has begun, Palestinians said Sunday.

Meanwhile, several Palestinian factions are scheduled to hold meetings on Monday in Gaza, discussing their next steps in the absence of a solution for the delivery of Qatari grants to some 100,000 Palestinian families.

Palestinian political analyst Hassan Abdo said Israel's ongoing 'siege' and 'suspension' and the failure of mediation efforts would encourage Palestinian factions to escalate the situation.

Abdo told Palestinian news website Donia al-Watan the economic crisis in the Gaza Strip had escalated since the Israel-Hamas war in May. He said Palestinian factions based in Gaza have several options for responding to Israel's "hard-heartedness".

Options include addressing mediators to increase pressure on Israel, and continuing demonstrations along the Gaza-Israel border, Abdo said. He predicted that the next clashes with Israel would be limited to the Gaza Strip.

"Unless there are developments in Jerusalem, which is a red line for a regional war," he explained, as reported by The Jerusalem Post Monday, August 16.

Illustration of a fuel truck being allowed into the Gaza Strip. (Twitter/@ShehabAgency)

Separately, Palestinian political analyst Hussam al-Dajani said Palestinian factions had no choice but to respond, given the difficult humanitarian situation that could lead to a popular boom. According to him, military confrontation (with Israel) is not the goal of the factions. It aims to draw the world's attention to the siege and plight of the inhabitants of the Gaza Strip.

As for the Palestinian expert on the Israeli issue, Ahed Farawneh told Donia al-Watan, the difficult situation in the Gaza Strip shows that the issue is heading for escalation as the occupation avoids easing its restrictions."

On this issue, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said on Sunday that the continuation of the siege would lead to explosions at any time. Qasem stressed that the Palestinian faction would announce a clear position on this issue.

"Real tensions will arise in the region if the occupation continues to tighten the siege on the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian resistance groups cannot remain silent when they see this siege and collective punishment imposed on the Gaza Strip. And it is the right of our people to live in freedom and dignity. We can't compromise on this issue," he threatened.

Qassem said the Gaza-based factions are coordinating their movements, studying the next steps according to the reading of the situation.

"We will not allow the occupation to blackmail us in exchange for our just goals, such as reconstruction, aid inflows, lifting sieges, and guaranteeing freedom of movement for people and goods," he stressed.

Illustration of Israeli soldiers with Palestinian children in the border area. (Wikimedia Commons/Harry Pockets)

Meanwhile, al-Nasser Salah al-Din Brigades of the Popular Resistance Committee, which comprises various armed resistance groups in the Gaza Strip warned, Palestinian factions will not stand idly by, given Israel's ongoing stubbornness and arrogance.

The Palestinian factions will not give the enemy more time to meet their demands. The group called on mediators to intervene immediately to prevent an escalation, forcing Israel to abide by the understanding reached in May.

The Palestinian Center for Human Rights al-Mezan also warned of new armed clashes with Israel, due to the inability of the people to fulfill their obligations. According to him, the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is a real trigger for a new conflict.

"The occupation authorities continue to prevent the entry of most types of raw materials and goods required for industrial factory and workshop work, such as chemicals, wood, furniture and automobile products. With the exception of some materials used in the manufacture of detergents and plastics, which contribute to an increasing number of unemployed and poor people," the organization said in a statement.

For information, last week the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) announced that Israel would allow the entry of 1,000 traders and 350 businessmen from Gaza into Israel. In addition, all Gaza goods can now enter Israel for the first time since the end of the May war, COGAT chief Major General Ghassan Alian announced.

However, Raed Fattouh, chairman of the Palestinian Entry Committee, said that the Palestinians have not received a list of goods and merchandise allowed in and out of Gaza.