Hamas said in a statement that the deal, which Egypt has been trying to broker for months, is designed to put an end to Palestinian rocket and mortar fire on southern Israel from Gaza and retaliatory Israeli air and ground raids.
However it was not expected to take away fear among minority Christians of possible new attacks by militants who increasingly seem to view them as a threat to the predominantly Muslim population’s traditions in the Gaza Strip.
In of the latest incidents, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) said armed attackers broke into the El-Manara school in Gaza City’s Zaitoon Quarter early Saturday, May 31. They reportedly tied down two school guards and beat them before stealing a bus belonging to the Palestinian Bible Society. The guards apparently freed themselves and headed to the Sheja’eya police station and submitted and official complaint.
CENTER CONDEMNS ATTACKS
"The Center strongly condemns the recurrence of these attacks, and calls upon the authorities to investigate them seriously and prosecute the perpetrators," PCHR added. “The Center views this attack as a continuation of the security chaos plaguing the Occupied Palestinian Territory,” the PCHR said. The same school was attacked by unknown gunmen in February as well.
However local Christians say there has been a rise in Islamic extremism. Earlier, in October 2007, a Bible Society worker was killed. Rami Ayyad, manager of Gaza’s only Christian bookstore, was found dead of multiple stab and gunshot wounds after he was kidnapped.
Christians are outnumbered in Gaza where of 1.6 million inhabitants, only about 2,000 claim to be Christian and only about 200 of them claim to be evangelical Christians, according to estimates.
MANY WEAPONS AVAILABLE
Tensions come amid rising concerns over the number of weapons in the Gaza Strip. In a recent incident 10 members of a family were injured, including 4 women and 3 children, when a bomb, which was being stored inside their house, detonated, PCHR reported.
The explosion rocked the house after it was “mishandled” by a family member, the group said, adding that the explosion destroyed the house completely and caused serious damages to a number of nearby houses.
"PCHR is concerned over the continued falling of victims due to the misuse of weapons or storing them in civilian areas. The Centre calls upon the authorities to place adequate restrictions to prevent the recurrence of such tragedies in order to protect civilian lives and property."
