WarSclerotic

Gantz slams reported ceasefire, says Israel capitulated to Hamas ‘blackmail’

Blue and White leader Benny Gantz says the rocket onslaught from the Gaza Strip over the past two days is the result of Israel losing deterrence against Palestinian terrorist groups.

The former IDF chief of staff, who is expected to become opposition leader, says that in order to end the violent flareup, Israel surrendered to Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

“Nearly 700 projectiles were launched at Israeli territory, four were killed and many are wounded,” Gantz posts on Twitter. “All of this is the result of losing our deterrence, and it’s ending with another surrender to blackmail from Hamas and other terrorist groups.”

Blue and White leader Benny Gantz gives an impromptu press conference in a bomb shelter at Yad Mordechai as rockets fly overhead on May 5, 2019. (Raoul Wootliff/Times of Israel)

“All the government has done is, once again, lead us to the next confrontation,” he says.

Yesterday, Gantz said that Israel must respond to the latest barrage of rockets from Gaza with “uncompromising force” in order to “restore the deterrence that has been eroded catastrophically for more than a year.”

IDF says it bombed 350 ‘terror targets’ during Gaza airstrikes

The Israeli military says it bombed some 350 “terror targets” in the Gaza Strip in the last 48 hours, in response to the barrages of rockets fired from the coastal enclave.

The military says it targeted “rocket launch sites, terror squads & operatives, command and training centers, weapon facilities, observation posts and military compounds” after hundreds of rockets and mortars were fired at Israel over two days.

“Terror targets civilians, we target terror,” the military says.

Israel lifts emergency measures in implicit confirmation of Gaze truce

The IDF is lifting all emergency measures for residents of southern Israel after a reported ceasefire with terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip appears to take affect.

Schools in Beersheba, Sderot, Yavne and Kiryat Malachi announce that there will be classes as usual today. School in the the Eshkol, Shaar Hanegev and Sdot Negev regions, which are closer to Gaza, is still canceled.

Overnight Saturday, as terror groups continued to fire rockets and mortar shells at Israel, the IDF had announced a number of security measures for Israeli cities and towns within 40 kilometers of the Gaza border, including cancelling all schools and public gatherings.

According to reports in Palestinian media, Israel and the Gaza groups reached a ceasefire that went into effect from 4:30 p.m. Israel has not officially confirmed the ceasefire, in keeping with its policy of refraining from commenting on its negotiations with terror groups.

Islamic Jihad says ceasefire conditioned on Israel easing Gaza blockade

An Islamic Jihad official says the reported Gaza ceasefire is contingent on Israel easing its blockade of the Palestinian enclave.

The official says the measures include the easing of limits on fishing and improvements in Gaza’s electricity and fuel situation.

The IDF has declined to comment on the deal, but there has been no rocket fire or Israeli strikes after the Egyptian-brokered deal was due to take effect.