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Residents of Israel’s south mull initiating formal UN complaint against Hamas

After suffering 100 fires in a single week due to a daily onslaught of arson devices, residents of the Gaza border region are considering taking their case to the United Nations.

Palestinians prepare balloons that will be attached to flammable material to be launched into Israel from the Gaza Strip, on June 25, 2019. Photo by Hassan Jedi/Flash90.
Palestinians prepare balloons that will be attached to flammable material to be launched into Israel from the Gaza Strip, on June 25, 2019. Photo by Hassan Jedi/Flash90.

Representatives of Israeli regional councils near the Gaza border are looking into the legal requirements for issuing an independent appeal to the United Nations against Hamas after suffering some 100 fires in the past week sparked by incendiary balloons launched from the Gaza Strip.

According to a report by Israel’s Channel 12, residents of the region are outraged by the barrage of airborne incendiary devices, and discouraged by the lack of reaction and support on the part of the Israeli government.

The residents asserted that no government officials have come to show support in the area or meet with regional council heads to provide aid or solutions.

Israel has recently eased restrictions on Gaza, despite the cessation of incendiary balloon launches being a condition of the ceasefire sealed between Israel and Hamas in May.

In another truce renewal on Sunday, Israel extended the Gaza fishing zone to 15 nautical miles, agreed to return 60 confiscated boats and will resume fuel deliveries to the coastal enclave, with a reported shipment of four trucks bringing more than 150,000 liters of fuel into Gaza.

Israel had stopped the fuel shipments on Tuesday due to the arson attacks.

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