Hamas and Islamic Jihad officials threatened to end the peace in Gaza Strip if Israel does not abide by the truce, a day after an Egyptian security delegation left the Strip.
Member of Hamas politburo Khalil al-Hayya said the region “will not enjoy peace as long as the enemy occupies Palestine and besieges Gaza.”
Hamas will not allow its people to starve and doesn’t accept Gaza siege to continue, he warned at a funeral procession.
“Today we seize our rights with our own hands, our weapons, and our will.”
Islamic Jihad politburo member Khaled al-Batsh also warned Israel against the manipulating the implementation of agreements, saying if it does not abide by the Egyptian truce, the resistance can force it and protect its people and peaceful marches.
He asserted the marches of return will continue until they achieve their objectives.
Batsh called on the Egyptian sponsor to follow up on the implementation of the agreements and pressure Israel to meet its obligations.
Hamas and Jihad made their warning despite being the two main signatories of the truce and their promises to the Egyptian security delegation to exercise restraint and avoid escalation pending the implementation of the agreements.
The Egyptian security delegation had arrived in Gaza on Thursday and left Friday after agreeing with the Palestinian factions to implement the first phase of the understandings of the ceasefire in the Strip this week.
Informed sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that as of Monday, it was agreed to allow money into Gaza and lift restrictions imports into the coastal enclave. They also agreed to expanding the fishing zone in the sea and allow fuel funded by Qatar into Gaza, in exchange for ending attacks against Israel, stopping the use of incendiary kites and only allowing peaceful demonstrations.
Last week, Egypt succeeded in reaching a new ceasefire deal after tough negotiations that saw several setbacks in two days of clashes that left 25 people dead in Gaza and four Israelis in nearby settlements and towns.
Meanwhile, Qatari Ambassador Mohammed al-Emadi and UN envoy for the Middle East peace process Nikolay Mladenov are expected to arrive in Gaza within two days to oversee the distribution of $30 million Qatari funds to Hamas.
It is believed that Israel will abide by the agreement this time to prevent any development that could affect the Eurovision Song Contest, which begins in Tel Aviv on Tuesday.
Earlier, an Israeli military official said authorities had to end the fighting before Memorial Day and Independence Day and before the launch of Eurovision.
On Saturday, Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian, Abdulallah Abdul Al, during weekly protests along the border with Israel, Gaza health officials said.
In addition, 30 other people were wounded by live gunfire during the protest, in which thousands participated.
An Israeli military spokeswoman said troops, facing around 6,000 Palestinians at the border with Gaza, opened fire when some of them approached the fortified fence, according to Reuters.
The protesters are demanding an end to an Israeli blockade on Gaza and Palestinians’ rights to lands from which their families fled or were forced to flee during Israel’s founding in 1948.
More than 200 Gazans have been killed by Israeli troops since the “Great March of Return” started on March 30, 2018, according to Gaza health officials. An Israeli soldier was also killed by a Palestinian sniper.
