Two grave developments endangered the fragile Egyptian-mediated cease-fire reached on May 30 between Hamas and Israel following last week’s intense flare-up of hostilities. The first was the renewal of Palestinian protests along Gaza’s border fence with Israel on June 1 and the subsequent killing of volunteer paramedic Razan Najjar by Israeli soldiers the next day. In the second incident, several mortar shells were fired from Gaza toward Israeli border communities, probably by what Israel dubs “renegade” Palestinian factions that do not accept Hamas control. The shelling may have been retaliation for the killing of Najjar, whose funeral drew tens of thousands of mourners, a turnout only seen in the past for Hamas leaders killed by Israel.
Every such incident is a reminder that even if neither side wants to engage in a broad military clash, as long as Gaza is so unstable, there is no guarantee that understandings reached between the sides will hold.
