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Israel Launches New Gaza Airstrikes, Ceasefire at Risk

June 16, 2021
Photo credit: AP News
The airstrikes came a few hours after far-right Israeli nationalists marched in Jerusalem. Photo credit: AP News

Israel launched new airstrikes on Gaza on Wednesday 16 June, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced. In a statement released on Twitter, the IDF said the attacks were in response to incendiary balloons launched into Israel from Gaza, which Israel claims resulted in a number of fires. No casualties were reported following Israel’s airstrikes.

The airstrikes risk breaking the 20 May ceasefire, which was mediated by Egypt following 11 days of violence that resulted in 256 deaths in Palestine, including 66 children, and 13 deaths in Israel.

According to the IDF, the airstrikes targeted Hamas facilities in the southern community of Khan Younis used to plan attacks. Footage of the airstrikes was posted online by several Palestinian journalists, including Ahmed ElDin, who reported a total of ten strikes.

 

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A post shared by Ahmed Eldin | أحمد شهاب الدين (@ahmedeldin)

The airstrikes follow a march by far-right Israeli nationalists waving flags and chanting “Death to Arabs” and “Jerusalem is ours” in Jerusalem on Tuesday. The march was preceded by the arrest of at least 17 Palestinians, while 33 Palestinian protestors who were forcibly removed from the route of the march were injured, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society.

The violence comes days after the formation of the new Israeli government, where former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was ousted after his 12-year rule and replaced by Naftali Bennett.

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