Hamas celebrates Lieberman resignation as ‘political victory’

Hamas called the resignation of Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman a “political victory for Gaza” on Wednesday, amid threats to an uneasy ceasefire.

The Palestininian group’s spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said Lieberman’s resignation signalled a “recognition of defeat and failure to confront the Palestinian resistance … Gaza’s steadfastness sent a political shockwave” in Israel.

Lieberman says he is resigning in protest over the Egypt-brokered ceasefire reached with armed groups in Gaza.

The truce, announced on Tuesday by Hamas-led factions, was intended to end two days of Israeli aerial attacks on Gaza after a covert Israeli operation inside the strip, to which Palestinian factions responded with rocket fire.

At least 15 Palestinians and two Israelis were killed in two days in the worst violence the strip has seen in two years.

Lieberman had advocated for a more decisive blow against Hamas and quit in protest.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the truce, saying that the “leadership is doing the right thing”.

Lieberman’s resignation significantly weakens Netanyahu’s ruling coalition government and appears likely to bring about an early election.

Further deaths

A Palestinian fisherman in Gaza was killed by Israeli on Wednesday fire after the ceasefire went into effect.

The fishermen’s union said the 20-year-old man was working on the beach near the land maritime fence separating Gaza from Israel when he was shot in the stomach.

The fisherman’s killing calls into question the fragile ceasefire that went into effect in Gaza overnight.

“Should the occupation [Israel] stop its aggression and return to the ceasefire, understandings will be possible,” senior Hamas official Ismail Haniya said in a statement earlier on Wednesday.

But Palestinians in the strip, which has been under an Israeli blockade since 2007 and experienced three Israeli wars since 2008, told Al Jazeera they don’t believe the ceasefire will hold.

A 34-year-old schoolteacher named Mohammed Baroud said he did not believe the truce would last “simply because Israel has never stuck to any agreement in the past”.

SOURCE:
Al Jazeera and news agencies