Shaky Gaza ceasefire kicks in after Israeli airstrikes, 104 rockets fired in 24 hours
Netanyahu's coalition partners criticised him for not hitting Hamas and Islamic Jihad harder. "If we continue to bomb empty positions, we invite the next round of fighting," Likud lawmaker Danny Danon said.
Israel has agreed to a ceasefire with Hamas and Islamic Jihad on Wednesday morning after numerous Israeli airstrikes and more than 100 rockets fired from Gaza in the past 24 hours.
The ceasefire was brokered by Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations, according to Reuters which cited Palestinians sources.
Israel, however, seemed to downplay ceasefire, with IDF spokesman saying that the fact that messages are passed back and forth doesn’t mean there is anything official on the table.
This round of Gaza flare-up started on Tuesday morning after a senior member of Islamic Jihad, Khader Adnan, died from an 86-day-long hunger strike in an Israeli prison. Hamas and Islamic Jihad blamed Israel for his death.
Shortly after, Islamic Jihad fired rockets from Gaza with the approval from Hamas, according to Israel. The rocket firing continued in the afternoon with more than 26 rockets fired at the same time against cities and kibbutzim in southern Israel.
The rocket firing resumed again in the evening and overnight, while Israeli fighter jets and helicopters struck 16 Hamas military positions, including a tunnel, weapon manufacturing sites and outposts.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was harshly criticised by his coalition partners for not responding harshly to the rockets.
Likud lawmaker Danny Danon said that in order to “restore deterrence” Israelis had to wake up on Tuesday to the news about “many terrorists killed.”
“If we continue to bomb empty positions, we invite the next round of fighting. That’s not how deterrence is built,” Danon said.
Orit Strock, lawmaker from Religious Zionism party, said “Our government continues the policy of the previous government. Gaza does not pay a price for Hamas’ terror.”
The Jewish Power party were also furious with the government’s response, announcing it would not to appear in Knesset on Wednesday to vote on legislation.
Party leader Ben-Gvir has been criticised in recent months for failing to deliver on his campaign promises to his voters.
“If we are in the next government, every rocket from Gaza will be met with 50 airstrikes,” Ben-Gvir promised during the election campaign.
The mayor of Sderot, an Israeli city close to the Gaza border, fumed at the government on Monday and Tuesday, demanding the assassination of Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaders.
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