Israel troops shoot dead Palestinian man in 1st cross-border incident to test Gaza cease-fire

An Israeli army tank keeps position near a security fence on the Gaza border with Israel, as Palestinians approach the fence east of Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Nov. 23, 2012. / AP

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian man and wounded nine along Gaza's border fence with Israel on Friday, a Gaza health official said, reporting the first violence since a truce between Israel and Gaza's Hamas rulers took hold a day before.

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Israel, Hamas react to cease-fire deal

The shooting appeared to be an isolated incident and was unlikely to jeopardize the Egyptian-brokered cease-fire, which called for an end to Gaza rocket fire on Israel and Israeli air strikes on Gaza. The truce came after eight days of cross-border fighting, the bloodiest battle between Israel and Hamas in four years.

The Gaza's Hamas Prime Minister, Ismail Haniyeh, has urged militant factions to respect the cease-fire.

The man killed Friday was part of a group of people who approached Israel's border fence with Gaza to pick up parts of an Israeli army jeep damaged in the fighting, said Gaza health official Adnan Abu Salmia. He said soldiers opened fire, killing one man and wounding nine.

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Israel's military, citing a preliminary investigation, said there have been isolated attempts to infiltrate Israel from Gaza, and that warning shots were fired in the air when the group approached Friday. The military said there was unrest along the border but did not elaborate.

CBS News correspondent Allen Pizzey reports that according to Israeli officials, the group of Palestinians, numbering as many as 300, were trying to raise the Hamas flag and damage the fence.

In the past, Israeli troops enforced a no-go zone on the Gaza side of the frontier, firing on anyone approaching in an attempt to prevent infiltration attempts. Since the cease-fire, growing numbers of Gazans have entered the zone.

CBS

In Cairo, Egypt was set to hold separate talks Friday with Israeli and Hamas envoys on the next phase of the cease-fire — a new border deal for blockaded Gaza. Hamas demands a lifting of all border restrictions, while Israel insists that Hamas must halt weapons smuggling to the territory.

The Israeli blockade imposed in 2007 also limited Gaza's nearly 4,000 fishermen to a three mile-zone along the shore, reports Pizzey. The net result was that Gaza went from being a self-sufficient exporter of fish, to being an importer.

Israel isn't going to open up the land borders in one fell swoop, adds Pizzey. Troops and armour are pulling back, but at a measured pace.

• Cease-fire a chance for lasting peace?

In Israel, a poll showed that about half of Israelis think their government should have continued its military offensive against Hamas.

The independent Maagar Mohot poll released on Friday shows 49 percent of respondents feel Israel should have kept going after squads that fire rockets into Israel. Thirty-one percent supported the government's decision to stop.

Twenty-nine percent thought Israel should have sent ground troops to invade Gaza.

The poll of 503 respondents had an error margin of 4.5 percentage points.

Pizzey reports that in an unprecedented and, in Israeli terms, grave insult, a photo showing a group of Israeli soldiers has circulated, showing them spell out Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's nickname, "Bibi," in Hebrew with the word "loser."

The real test of how his handling of this crisis has played in Israel, Pizzey says, will come in national elections scheduled for January 22. Conventional wisdom in the country is that the cease-fire will hold at least until then, and will play in favor of the ruling coalition.

The same survey showed Netanyahu's Likud Party and electoral partner Israel Beiteinu losing some support, but his hard-line bloc still gaining enough support to form the next government.

[hallowakeup]

unfortunately, since ano domini it is always the same, uno resolutions and seize fires
have never been observed and USA always was on the side of who did not fulfill the
requirements. it is politics.

If you do not know when or what go back to history!!

[aramseth]

So Israel breached the ceasefire in an orgy of machine gun fire at Khan Younis, of young men and children on their OWN LAND. Let's see slimy Israeli spokesman Mark Regev blame the Khammassss for that and then call it 'self defence'. Do we laugh or cry?Footage of Israeli armed forces breaching 36 hr old truce, firing at children and civilians on their land and killing a n unarmed 20 year old

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTt4wxdwhh4

[melbatom]

Only a political blank mind could not have know that Hama's would attack anyway no matter who agreed to what. REMEMBER that this Radical Muslim group sees death as entrance to Heaven not a dark grave. SOOOOO winner no matter what. You can bet Israel will be involved in battles again and again and again. Not only here but all the way around their country.

[lillyhorton]

Isreal attacked killing 1 Palestinian and wounding 9 Palestinians.

[Plumbline9]

Freedom will only come to the middle east as people give their hearts to the Only One who can set them free..
...Luke 4:18...
"The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed....

[lillyhorton]

Jews don't preach to the gentiles. They have no interest in saving you or anyone beside themselves.

[eiddam]

Netanyahu has made it known war is in his veins, and will stop at nothing to eliminate the Palestinians completely from land that Israeli's stole.
Israel uses false flags to start wars. Such as the deliberate murder of Humas and a 12 year old boy, knowing full well a conflict would occur. The recent man shot was mentally ill. Netanyahu has the backing of the United States and a strong hold on our government elites. He has the necessary conections and is no stranger sice living a few years in the States on and off graduating from a school near Philadelphia. Netanyahu does not want peace but only to occupy the Palestinians land as well as all Arabs. Perhaps I'm not allowed to use this word but it is no secret he is a Zionist. Palestianians are called terrorists for dare fighting to keep their land. Israeli's are the terrorists.

[jrjjack]

Israel occupies a country smaller than the state of New Jersey and has already given land to the Radical Islamists, for THIS result. When you have terrorists that have the basic goal, theology, belief that they must eliminate the world of Christians and Jews there can be no peace with them, period. The man at the border most likely was mentally ill since all radical terrorists with Hamas, Al Qaeda etc. are mentally ill to a certain degree. Israel and America have the might and power to eliminate the Hamas in Gaza whenever they really wish. Keep pushing Israel and they will know what real aggressive military actions truly are.

[lillyhorton]

If I were Muslim I would eliminate Jews and Christians. They are a headache to the world.

[jhallard]

If the Palestinians want some sort of peace then they are going to have to wage war on its Hamas. Otherwise the Israeli and Palestinian conflict will never end. The same can be said of the Republican Party. If the Republicans want to ever win the White House again they are going to have wage war on its own evangelicals and its Tea Party zealots.

[lillyhorton]

Hamas at least tried to create a country. Palestinian just want a place to call their own. Isreal can't tell the difference so their motto is to kill them all.

[lollyikens]

This conflict has been an ongoing thing for years. Now this latest thing after a truce, is just another stupid act. I am like so many others am sick and tired of hearing about this.

I would be very happy if there ever is a real truce and peace comes to that region but I really doubt it. So many lives lost just awful.

[dmgainesville]

These people has contributed nothing to this world for hundreds of years !! only chaos & violence. Despite all the rich oil money, they kill each other and who ever is considered the infidale. Raising their kids to hate and to kill.. they will achieve nothing . What a disaster to the whole world.