Secretary of State John Kerry is condemning an “outrageous” violation by Palestinian militants of the Gaza ceasefire he helped to broker. Kerry is demanding the immediate release of an Israeli soldier apparently abducted by the radical Hamas movement.
Kerry released a statement saying the militant attack was an affront to the assurances that both sides had given to the United Nations about respecting the ceasefire. The US secretary of state is demanding that Hamas move to “immediately and unconditionally release” 2nd-Lt. Hadar Goldin, captured in an attack that also killed two Israeli soldiers.
Kerry also calls on “those with influence over Hamas to reinforce this message.”
Kerry says he has spoken with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the developments, which led Israel to declare the ceasefire over. Kerry says it would be a “tragedy” if the attack led to more violence and suffering.
“The international community must now redouble its efforts to end the tunnel and rocket attacks by Hamas terrorists on Israel and the suffering and loss of civilian life,” Kerry says.
— AP, Times of Israel staff
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