As the world closely watches the peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, rockets continue to be fired into Israel from Gaza just a few miles away. While Hamas is not launching these rockets, as it wants to maintain the ceasefire with Israel, Israel holds Hamas responsible as the ruling party in Gaza for any rockets fired into Israel. According to Fox News, five rockets were fired on June 24, and Ha’aretz reported seven rockets fired into Israel during the month of July. Hamas has tried to lower the number of rocket attacks through physical intimidation, causing the Mujahideen Shura Council in the Environs of Jerusalem to denounce Hamas for preventing that group from carrying out its Jihad, according to Ha’aretz.
While YNet News reported that Hamas “rejects any possibility of a long lasting peace,” in addition to Hamas’ charter rejecting the right of Israel to exist, the group evidently wishes to observe the ceasefire, which was forged after Israel’s Operation Pillar of Defense. The operation has resulted in far fewer rockets striking Israel, and the ceasefire has been in effect since November 2012. However, given its anti-Israel rhetoric, many question how devoted Hamas is to observing the ceasefire in the long-term. According to the Sderot Media Center, a resident of the Negev said, “every time there is talk of negotiations, we get a present from Gaza,” referring to rocket fire.
As the world anxiously awaits to hear of a positive outcome from the renewed peace negotiations, it’s important to recognize the reality of Israelis living under constant rocket attacks from Gaza. Safety and security includes every single Israeli and Palestinian.
Contributed by CAMERA Intern Eli Cohn