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Day 35 – Tunnel Diggers Executed; Hamas Stops Humanitarian Aid; PA to Take Charge of Gaza?

by TheTower.org Staff |

Today was the thirty fifth day of Operation Protective Edge.

The Tower today carried a news report originating from a Hebrew-language news site, citing sources in Gaza, that Hamas has executed many of its tunnel diggers in recent weeks to hinder Israel’s efforts to find the tunnels. The report gives insight into the tight security Hamas maintained around the construction of these tunnels: “The terror organization would reportedly blindfold the excavators en route to the sites and back, to prevent them from recognizing the locations.”

Two rounds of attacks by Hamas yesterday against the Kerem Shalom crossing stopped the transfer of humanitarian goods into Gaza. Israel’s Defense Ministry observed in a statement, “The crossing was open throughout Operation Protective Edge despite constant firing in its vicinity and is the sole artery for the passage of vital humanitarian goods and equipment to the residents of the Gaza Strip.”

Justice Minister and former lead Israeli negotiator Tzipi Livni foresees a role for the Palestinian Authority in Gaza. In an interview with Israel Radio, Livni said, “I’d like to see that same legitimate Palestinian Authority that accepts our existence here, that does not give in to terror itself or who doesn’t use terrorism against us as a replacement that will turn it into the legitimate government in Gaza.”

[Photo: Deep Dish / YouTube ]

The Foreign Press Association, the leading NGO representing international journalists, issued a statement today condemning “the blatant, incessant, forceful and unorthodox methods employed by the Hamas authorities and their representatives against visiting international journalists in Gaza over the past month.” The Tower has mentioned a number of the tactics, including the deletion of tweets that give too much information about Hamas’ operations.

The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), a body long criticized for its anti-Israel bias, has chosen a new panel to investigate supposed war crimes committed by Israel in Operation Protective Edge. Slated to head the panel is Professor William Schabas, who has a long history of anti-Israel statements and actions.

Israel21c reports that an Israeli team won the International Mathematics Competition for University Students for the first time in history. The event was held in in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria. Education Minister Shai Piron praised the team, saying, “You brought great honor to the State of Israel in general and academia in particular. Human capital is our comparative advantage over other countries and you are proof that Israel will continue to lead the forefront of technology in the coming years.”

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