GAZA: Hamas saidyesterday that two overnight bombings killed three Palestinian police officersin the Gaza Strip in what witnesses called suicide attacks as the Palestinianenclave was placed under a state of alert. Witnesses told AFP that bothbombings were suicide attacks by assailants on motorbikes, but there was noofficial confirmation.
A source familiarwith the investigation said a Salafist movement in Gaza, which is run byIslamist movement Hamas, that sympathizes with the Islamic State jihadist groupwas suspected. Hamas's interior ministry confirmed the three deaths, but spokeonly of two "bombings" in Gaza City without providing details. Itsaid two of the police officers were 32 and the third was 45. Two separatepolice checkpoints were targeted, it said.
An investigationwas underway as authorities pledged to track down the "masterminds".New police checkpoints were set up in Gaza City. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyasought to reassure Palestinians in the enclave of two million people. "Weassure our people that whatever these explosions are, they will be broughtunder control as with every previous event, and will not be able to underminethe stability and steadfastness of our people," he said in a statement.
Hundreds gatheredfor funerals for the three police officers.
Suicide bombingsare rare in the Gaza Strip. In August 2017, a suicide bomber killed a Hamasguard in southern Gaza on the border with Egypt. Hamas has run the Gaza Stripsince 2007 but has been regularly criticized by more radical Salafist groups inthe impoverished, Israeli-blockaded coastal territory. The Israeli militarysaid it had not carried out any air raids at the time of the latest bombings.
Tensions withIsrael
The bombings comeat a sensitive time. Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since 2008 andtensions have again risen in recent weeks ahead of Israel's September 17elections. Israel's military on Tuesday bombed a Hamas military post aftermilitants in the strip fired a mortar round across the border, the latest in astring of such incidents this month. On Monday, Israel launched air strikesagainst Hamas in response to rocket fire, while it also halved fuel deliveriesto the enclave. The punitive reduction in the flow of fuel to the strip's mainpower station means a cut in Gaza's already rationed electricity supply.
The incidentshave threatened a fragile truce that had cooled several severe flare-upsbetween Hamas and Israel in recent months. Brokered by UN and Egyptianofficials, the ceasefire also involves aid to the Gaza Strip from Qatar.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is widely seen as wanting to avoid anescalation in Gaza before the polls due to the political risk involved, but hehas faced calls for strong action from his electoral opponents.
As a result,there has been speculation in Israel that Hamas has turned a blind eye torecent rocket fire and infiltration attempts by more radical elements insteadof preventing them in a bid to pressure Netanyahu into further concessions.Hamas has not claimed responsibility for the recent cross-border incidents.Other militant groups, most prominently Islamic Jihad, also operate in the GazaStrip.- AFP