Explosives set off near Israeli troops in Gaza as truce extended

Jerusalem, Israel | Xinhua |  Three explosive devices were activated near Israeli troops in two different places of the northern Gaza Strip, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Tuesday.

In one of the cases, militants also opened fire at the Israeli soldiers, who responded with gunfire, the IDF said, adding that “a number of” Israeli soldiers were lightly injured in the incidents.

According to the statement, the Israeli troops were stationed in positions as per the framework of the humanitarian truce between Israel and Hamas.

Meanwhile, Abu Obeida, the spokesman for the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, accused Israel of “a clear violation” of the truce agreement in the northern Gaza Strip.

“We are committed to the truce that Israel has committed to and we call on the mediators to put pressure on Israel to comply with all the terms of the truce on the ground and in the air,” Obeida said in a statement.

Qatari Foreign Ministry announced on Monday night that the four-day truce between Israel and Hamas, set to expire on Tuesday morning, will be extended for an additional two days. ■