Jerusalem: In response to renewed border hostilities, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has blocked millions in Qatari aid to the Gaza Strip, risking increased tensions with the Palestinian territory's Islamist rulers Hamas during Israel's election campaign. Weeks of relative calm in the Gaza Strip ended Tuesday when Israeli soldiers were fired on along the border with the enclave in two separate incidents. When a bullet hit one soldier helmet he was lightly injured. In response Israeli tanks struck two Hamas positions in Gaza, killing one militant, while overnight Israeli fighter jets struck what the army said was a Hamas military camp in northern Gaza. Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since 2008 and fears of a fourth round remain.
also read China response toward Pakistan based terror is totally different from the International community
However since November violence has abated as a result of an informal truce between the parties. Under that agreement Israel has permitted Gulf state Qatar, a rare Hamas ally, to bring in aid to the strip, including $15 million a month to pay salaries of Hamas civil servants and provide aid to impoverished residents. The January payment had been expected to enter Gaza on Wednesday or Thursday but Netanyahu has decided to block it after the border-flare up, an Israeli official confirmed. This is the first time that Israel has admitted to obstructing the transfer, which was already delayed by two weeks. The payment would be the third of six planned tranches, totalling $90 million, in connection with the truce. Israel's permission is required since the cash must be delivered via its territory. Hamas is labelled a terrorist organisation by the United States and the European Union, and banks are hesitant to make the transfer.
So far Hamas has stuck to indirect warnings against Israel but said Wednesday it held Israel fully responsible for any escalation. At the funeral of the Hamas fighter Wednesday, mourners called for revenge as the body was accompanied by members of Hamas's military wing.
