Ceasefire after 100 rockets from Gaza

BY HARRY SIMONS

A ceasefire is holding after 100 rockets were fired at southern Israel in a wave of attacks from the Gaza Strip this week.

The IDF announced yesterday that schools and agricultural fields would reopen after the cessation of violence brokered by Egypt, Qatari and UN officials according to reports.

The rocket onslaught followed news of the death of Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant Khader Adnan on Tuesday. Islamic Jihad vowed to retaliate. Adnan, 45, had been on hunger strike for 86 days. Prison authorities said he had refused medical assistance and was found unconscious.

The IDF struck Hamas targets in Gaza including a weapon production and storage site, underground tunnels, military bases and training facilities.

Some 70 rockets were fired through the night from the Strip to Ashkelon and Sderot. No injuries were reported. Of 104 rockets fired into Israel around 60 landed in uninhabited areas, 14 did not cross the border. The Iron Dome recorded 90% successful interceptions.

Bicom note that Israel and Hamas do not want an escalation of fighting in the south. But there is concern Hamas and PIJ are taking advantage of domestic unrest in Israel. And there are reports of some MKs in the Israeli coalition calling for a strong response to rocket fire and targeted assassinations of senior terrorists to restore deterrence.

Adnan, who came from Jenin, conducted a number of hunger strikes and was seen as a ‘spiritual’ leader. He was arrested by security forces on suspicion of terror activity and incitement to terror.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant held security assessments with IDF officers at the Glilot Base at Camp Dayan following rocket fire from Gaza.

Gallant said: “Anyone who attempts to harm the citizens of Israel will be sorry.”

It was reported that UN Middle East envoy Tor Wennesland and Egyptian mediators tried to negotiate the release of Adnan’s body for a cessation of rocket fire. Israel rejected surrendering the body.

The National Jewish Assembly strongly condemns social media posts made by two Tory local election candidates, Ashley Sykes and Stanley Murphy.

Both trivialise and made light of the Holocaust, and targeted the LGBTIQA+ community.

The NJA is deeply troubled by these candidates' insensitivity and lack of understanding of the atrocities committed against Jewish people during the Holocaust.

Their posts have caused significant pain and offence to Jewish communities around the world and have no place in any society, let alone in political discourse.

The organisation calls on the Conservative Party to do better in screening their candidates to avoid situations like these in the future. The Holocaust is not a subject for jokes or political points scoring. It is essential that candidates who hold offensive views or have engaged in hate speech are held accountable for their actions.

NJA commends the South West Devon Conservative Association for their swift action to suspend Stanley Murphy and initiate an investigation into his comments on social media. However, it urges them to take further steps to ensure that candidates with antisemitic views or those who trivialise the Holocaust are not permitted to run for public office.

We call on all political parties to take a stand against hate speech and ensure that their candidates uphold the values of respect, tolerance, and inclusivity. The NJA stands with Jewish communities around the world in condemning these reprehensible actions and urge all political parties to act with the necessary sensitivity and care required in addressing sensitive and emotive subjects like the Holocaust.