Egyptian mediators are in the Gaza Strip in an effort to reduce tensions and prevent a new cross-border conflict between Israel and Palestinian terror group Hamas.
The terror group, which seized control of Gaza from rival Palestinian forces in 2007, says the three Egyptian general intelligence envoys headed straight for meetings with Hamas officials after entering the territory.
The urgent visit came as hostilities broke out along the Gaza-Israel frontier after months of calm due in part to leaders from both sides being occupied by the coronavirus crisis.
For the past week, Palestinian youth groups affiliated with Hamas have fired incendiary balloons toward Israel, setting swaths of farmland on fire. Israel, which holds Hamas responsible for violence emanating from the territory, responded with airstrikes on Hamas military sites, banned Gaza’s fishermen from taking to the sea and shut the main commercial crossing into the territory.
— Agencies
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