IDF closes Gaza cargo crossings following Kassam attacks

[TriWooOx]

Quote:The IDF on Wednesday closed Gaza's cargo crossings in response to the previous day's Kassam rocket attacks that violated the truce between Israel and Gaza terrorists.

The IDF said all crossings had been closed except for the Erez pedestrian terminal.

The truce began six days ago, and on Sunday, Israel began incrementally increasing the amount of goods entering Gaza.

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said Wednesday's closure violated the cease-fire.

Islamic Jihad took responsibility for firing three rockets into Israel on Tuesday, lightly wounding two people. Israel called the fire a "gross violation" of the truce.

Meanwhile, Al-Kabas reported that Israel had assured Egypt that it would refrain from responding militarily to Tuesday's Kassam attacks.

The Kuwaiti newspaper quoted "well informed" Egyptian sources as saying that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert made the guarantee to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak during their meeting in Sharm e-Sheikh Tuesday. Olmert reportedly said that Israel would not carry out any "aggression" in the event that one of the Palestinian factions violates the terms of the truce.

The paper also said that Hamas had made a commitment to punish factions that break the cease-fire to make sure all Gaza groups implement the truce.

The sources were also quoted as saying that due to Israeli concerns that Iran was influencing Hamas's decisions, Egypt gave Israel guarantees that it, and not Hamas, was responsible for making sure Hamas abides by the truce.

Nevertheless, also according to the sources, Egypt was attempting to raise the number of Palestinians freed in a swap deal for captured IDF soldier Gilad Schalit from 450 to 600.

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