General Information

This past week Hamas-initiated tension and the deterioration of the security situation in the Gaza Strip continued. The events focused on the launching of IED and incendiary balloons which daily cause dozens of fires near Israeli communities. On August 24, 2020 four active cases of Covid-19 were detected in the al-Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip; all four were members of the same family. They were the first Covid-19 cases detected inside the Gaza Strip which were not brought in through the crossings. Will the worsening of the Covid-19 crisis in Gaza relax the current tension or increase Hamas pressure on Israel to the point of escalation? So far there is no answer. Read more...

The violence near the Gaza Strip border initiated by Hamas continues. Dozens of IED and incendiary balloons were launched daily and riots were held near the border fence at night. In response, the IDF attacked targets in the Gaza Strip, most of them belonging to Hamas. There was stabbing attack in the Old City of Jerusalem. A Palestinian from a nearby town stabbed and wounded a Border Police fighter. The agreement to normalize Israel-UAE relations has led to a wave of strong protest from the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Palestinian terrorist organizations. Read more...