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More Gazans Return Home Via Israel

Residents of the Gaza Strip who have been stranded on the Egyptian side of the border since the Hamas take-over in mid-June are returning home – in clusters. On Sunday the first 100 entered into Israeli territory and returned to Gaza via an Israeli-Palestinian crossing point in the north of the Strip. Another 313 followed on Monday, and Israel has entry permits for 1,000 more. There are an estimated 6,000 stranded in Egypt. Before initiating the plan, formulated jointly by the Palestinians, Israel and Egypt, there had been fears that Hamas would disrupt the flow of returnees because of its objection to Israel‘s participation. However, there have been no incidents reported since the transfers began. But violence continues in the Gaza Strip. On Monday the body of an ‘Abbas-loyal intelligence officer was found with signs he had been tortured. Israel also attempted a targeted assassination, firing a missile at a vehicle in the central Gaza Strip, wounding seven.