Israel to reopen Gaza crossings on Sunday
Deputy Defense Minister Vilnai decides on reopening of crossings of to allow passage of 80 trucks loaded with goods, equipment into Strip
Despite repeated Palestinian violations of the agreed upon truce, Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai decided Saturday that the Gaza crossings will be reopened on Sunday.
Some eighty trucks loaded with equipment and goods are expected to enter the Strip through the Sufa crossing. The Nahal Oz fuel terminal was reopened on Friday to allow the transfer of fuel to Gaza in a limited capacity.
Earlier on Saturday, Islamic Jihad threatened to resume rocket attacks on Israel if the IDF continues its military operations in the West Bank.
"Islamic Jihad reserves the right to respond to all Israeli violations," one of the group's Gaza chiefs Khaled al-Batch said, but added they would "not take the initiative in breaking the calm."
"If the crossing points (with Gaza) do not reopen, if the siege and the aggression does not stop, the calm will go up in smoke," Batch added, repeating that Israeli attacks in the West Bank would spark retaliation from Gaza.
The threats came after a Palestinian teenager was killed in Hebron in the West Bank overnight as he threw petrol bombs at Israeli soldiers, the military said, putting further strain on the week-old ceasefire.
Meanwhile one of Hamas' top chiefs, Mahmoud al-Zahar said the group would lock up anyone breaching the ceasefire and said several members of armed groups had already been arrested.
"There is an agreement between Islamic Jihad and Hamas stating that all people from Jihad or Hamas, who violate this accord will be arrested and their weapons confiscated," al-Zahar was quoted as saying in the Palestinian daily Al-Quds.
"People have already been arrested. Some opened fire on lorries and others fired rockets at the Nahal Oz (oil facility)," al-Zahar added.
