Washington (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – On Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that America does not consider the strike attributed to Israel against a Palestinian militant group member in Gaza as a breach of the U.S.-backed ceasefire.
Israel announced that it hit a member of the Islamic Jihad group on Saturday, alleging that the individual was planning an attack on Israeli troops. Islamic Jihad denied any such plans attack.
Why does the US not view Israel’s strike as a breach?
While speaking on President Donald Trump’s plane during a trip to Asia, Marc Rubio stated:
“We don’t view that as a violation of the ceasefire.”
He also emphasized that Israel has not relinquished its right to self-defense under the agreement mediated by the US, Egypt, and Qatar, which resulted in Hamas, the main militant group in Gaza, releasing the remaining hostages held there this month.
“They have the right if there’s an imminent threat to Israel, and all the mediators agree with that,”
Rubio stated
Rubio also emphasised that the ceasefire in Gaza, maintained between Israel and Hamas for a little over two years since the conflict started, is founded on mutual obligations. He reiterated that Hamas must accelerate efforts to return the remains of hostages who died in captivity.
What justification did Israel give for the Gaza attack?
Israel’s Saturday attack occurred just after Rubio left Israel following his visit to strengthen the ceasefire. Israeli forces carried out a “targeted strike” on an individual in central Gaza who was planning to attack Israeli troops, Israel’s military said, France 24 reported.
“A short while ago, the IDF conducted a precise strike in the Nuseirat area in the central Gaza Strip targeting a terrorist from the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization who planned to carry out an imminent terrorist attack against IDF troops,”
the military said.
However, on Sunday, the Palestinian militant group stated in a statement that the Israeli military’s claim of a planned attack by the group was a “mere fallacious allegation.”
What details emerged after the strike?
As reported by Reuters, witnesses noted seeing a drone hit a car, causing it to catch fire. Local medics stated four people were injured, with no immediate reports of fatalities. Witnesses also reported that Israeli tanks shelled eastern parts of Gaza City, the largest urban area in the Gaza Strip.
Al-Awda hospital confirmed it received wounded for treatment following a strike in Nuseirat.
“The hospital has received four injured people following the Israeli occupation’s targeting of a civilian car in the Al-Ahli Club area in Nuseirat Camp in central Gaza,”
the hospital said.
