Israeli sources announced on Saturday that a Palestinian homemade shell was fired across the border of the Gaza Strip into Israel, and hit the ground in the Negev desert. According to an Israeli military spokesperson, the homemade shell hit near a residential area, but no damages or injuries were reported.
No Palestinian resistance group took responsibility for firing the shell, which was in violation of the three week old Israeli-Palestinian truce in the Gaza Strip.
This marks the fourth reported violation of the truce on the Palestinian side, none of which caused any casualties. Two homemade shells were reportedly fired into the desert on Thursday July 10th, and one homemade shell was fired on June 24th.
Human rights groups have reported at least ten truce violations by the Israeli military. Several of the Israeli violations have resulted in injuries of Palestinian civilians, including the wounding of a 68-year old man on June 23rd by Israeli gunfire. He remains in critical condition from his injuries. The Israeli army has also increased its daily attacks on the West Bank, where there is no truce in effect.
In addition, the Israeli military has continued to impose a total closure and siege on the Gaza Strip, paralyzing the economy and causing widespread malnutrition and suffering. No major changes have been observed regarding the movement of persons and goods through the six Gaza Strip border crossings.
