Israel’s 35th soldier was killed in Gaza after a militant fired a rocket on his position from a highly populated civilian area. Hamas has continuously throughout Operation Protective Edge utilized civilians and crowded areas as human shields so they could launch their attacks under protected conditions.
Israel’s security cabinet met Friday to discuss the terms of a one-week ceasefire proposed by US Secretary of State John Kerry. The cabinet reportedly unanimously rejected the Kerry proposal. One official reportedly called the truce offer a “Qatari proposal with ornaments.” The Sec. of State and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon are set to hold a press conference at 8:30 p.m. local time.
An estimated 250-500 Gaza Hamas terrorists have been neutralized by IDF forces since Operation Protective Edge began. Israeli forces struck 75 targets Friday, totaling 3,590 strikes since the operation began. A Palestinian official said the total Gaza death toll has reached 808, with 115 Palestinians killed Thursday.
On Egypt’s side of the fence, an official said its officers opened fire on a vehicle and killed two senior jihadi officers in the northern Sinai Peninsula. The Sinai has been used as a staging ground for rocket attacks against Israel. Egypt and Israel have developed a de facto partnership to stop their mutual enemy: The Palestinian wing of the Muslim Brotherhood terror group, Hamas.
Following the deaths of two pro-Palestinians rioters in Ramallah, West Bank, Palestinian factions declared Friday to be a “day of rage” in support of the people of Gaza. President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah faction supported the “day of rage” declaration. On Thursday extremely violent protests broke out at a checkpoint in the West Bank between Jerusalem and Ramallah. A reporter said of the riots, “The scenes tonight at the Qalandiya checkpoint remind [me] of the Intifada. Don’t remember in recent years thousands [of Palestinians] confronting the IDF. Tomorrow, a dramatic day in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.” Police have been deployed around Jerusalem for the potential that Muslim rioters may stage violent protests following Friday prayers.
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