Gaza: Hamas rockets on Israel, blocking Palestinian agricultural exports

The Israeli army has hit extremist movement targets in the Strip, including "training bases" and "military infrastructure". Overnight a missile from Gaza fell in southern Israel. The Cogat closes the Allenby border, effectively closing down exports of Palestinian agricultural products abroad. Reyad Attari: "very dangerous" action.


Jerusalem (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Israeli army forces hit some Hamas targets in Gaza this morning in response to the rocket launch by the Palestinian Islamic extremist movement that controls the Strip. Targets include the group's "training bases and military infrastructure". At the moment there is no information about victims or injured.

Overnight a missile was fired from Gaza for southern Israel, ending up in a field without causing damage. In recent days, there had already been episodes of violence between the two fronts, with victims and injuries.

Local sources report that from 28 January, the date of the presentation of the so-called "Deal of the century", there have been missiles, rockets and explosive balloons launched on southern Israel by Hamas on a "daily" basis.

Behind the escalation of tension, the peace plan drawn up by the White House which was welcomed with enthusiasm by Israel, criticized by the Palestinians and a source of doubts and perplexities among the Catholic leaders of Holy Land, who warned it would become the source of more “tensions and bloodshed”.

Meanwhile, yesterday, the Israeli authorities imposed a ban on Palestinian agricultural exports; a "dangerous" decision according to Palestinian authorities, in the context of a trade war that has been going on for at least five months. "From today - exports of foreign Palestinian agricultural products through the Allenby border will no longer be allowed," said the Israeli Ministry of Defense (Cogat).

It is the only transit channel between Jordan and the West Bank and is under Israeli control. It is used to bring Palestinian goods and products abroad. For Cogat, the measure is a response to last October's Palestinian decision to block imports of calves from Israel. A boycott, they add, that has "seriously damaged livestock farmers".

Palestinian Agriculture Minister Reyad Attari says the blockade imposed by Israel "violates all agreements" between the two fronts and constitutes a "very dangerous action". The Cogat replies that it is ready to withdraw it "when the Palestinian Authority withdraws the harmful decision for the cattle trade with Israel and for the free market".