As Hamas waits for the handing over of Israeli implementation roadmaps for the latest Egyptian-sponsored understandings reached with Tel Aviv, three Palestinians were killed and more than 300 were wounded by Israeli fire near the Gaza Strip border.
Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official said that an Egyptian security delegation, headed by General Ahmed Abdel Khaliq, and that is conducting shuttle diplomacy between Gaza and Tel Aviv, will receive on Sunday an Israeli roadmap for implementing the understandings. Hamas officials say that Israel is offering a package of economic incentives in exchange for calm along the volatile border.
Hamas-Israeli understandings mainly focus on expanding area of sea fishing, lift the ban on dozens of "dual-use" products, establish industrial zones and infrastructure projects, and transfer funds without delay into the Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces have killed four Palestinian protesters as demonstrations take place on the Gaza border, the health ministry has said.
Israeli soldiers had killed the four Palestinians and injured 316 others, including 14 who suffered life-threatening wounds, during protests across the perimeter fence, in the eastern parts of the Gaza Strip.
Most demonstrators kept their distance from the border, though small crowds of activists approached the fence and threw stones and explosives toward Israeli troops on the other side. The forces fired tear gas and opened fire against protesters.
The Egyptian delegation had asked Hamas to maintain a peaceful "march of return" and restraint its protesters as to prevent Israeli withdrawal from the ongoing talks.
Hamas had pledged to keep the crowds at a safe distance from the fence to avoid inflaming the political atmosphere during negotiations of a possible easing of the blockade.
