GAZA CITY (PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES) - Israel hit a Hamas base in an air raid Thursday in response to gunfire from the Gaza Strip, but weeks of deadly mass protests and clashes along the border may be reaching an end as Ramadan begins. Israel rejects those calls, saying its actions are necessary to stop mass infiltrations from the blockaded Palestinian enclave controlled by Islamist movement Hamas. "The Israeli army struck targets belonging to Hamas in the northern Gaza Strip, including terrorist infrastructure and weapons-making facilities," the military said in a statement. Palestinians and rights groups say protesters are being shot while posing no threat to Israeli soldiers on the other side of the heavily guarded fence. Hamas denies Israeli claims that it orchestrated the demonstrations, saying it supports them but that they were organised independently.

Source: Bangkok Post May 17, 2018 10:41 UTC