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Gantz: We want our soldiers back from Gaza

July 7, 2020 at 9:37 am

Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz on 2 March on 18 February 2020 [Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu Agency]

Defence Minister Benny Gantz said on Monday that Israel wants to get its soldiers back from Gaza, Al-Watan Voice has reported. Gantz added that “tranquillity” should also be re-established.

Commenting on the alleged launch of homemade rockets from Gaza on Sunday night, Gantz said that these are Israel’s “two missions” in the occupied Palestinian territory. “If this does not happen, we will respond strongly,” Gantz explained. “We will not allow the violation of our sovereignty.”

The authorities in Gaza are holding at least four Israeli soldiers, or their remains, who have been the subject of third party talks about a prisoner swap.

The Israeli occupation forces carried out several air strikes on the Gaza Strip on Sunday night. Officials claimed that they were in response to the rockets fired towards Israel.

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Last month, the Palestinian Interior Ministry in Gaza revealed that the Israeli occupation authorities have recruited collaborators in the occupied territory who have been trained to make primitive rockets. They are then told when to fire them towards Israel without causing damage, which in turn gives Israel a justification for air strikes “in response”.

This explains the fact that rockets are fired towards Israel from time to time but they land either inside Gaza or near the nominal border fence on the Israeli side.