Israel has reopened a major border crossing with Gaza, easing tensions and allowing thousands of Palestinian laborers into the nation for the first time since it was closed earlier this month.
The opening of the gate was a sign of de-escalation following two weeks of violent protests along Gaza’s border with Israel, during which Palestinian activists threw explosives and rocks and launched incendiary balloons, sparking fires in Israeli farms.
According to reports, the protests erupted after the Hamas militant group that administers Gaza, cash-strapped as its financial crisis intensifies, reduced civil sector pay by nearly half this month. Protests along the separation fence have been seen by political observers as an attempt by Hamas to extract concessions from Israel and the militant group’s financial backer, Qatar.
Hamas, on the other hand, argues that it never called for the protests, despite giving the rallies its tacit approval. In reaction to the border chaos, Israel began airstrikes on Hamas militant positions for several days in a row.
Meanwhile, Hamas officials have demanded that Israel do more to stop Gaza’s economic spiral, including by increasing the number of workers’ permits it issues.
Israel claims the siege is necessary to keep Hamas from arming itself. However, the closure has suffocated Gaza’s economy and made life more difficult for the more than 2 million Palestinians who reside there.
Crowds of Jews are expected to flock to a disputed Jerusalem holy site for the weeklong holiday, increasing fears that tensions with Palestinians will flare up again.
Workers in Gaza, on the other hand, who consider their Israeli work licenses as a lifeline, expressed relief that they could return to work. According to Mohammad al-Kahlout, a laborer waiting to pass into Israel on Thursday, the crossing shutdown has been a “nightmare.”
