Roundup: Tense clam in Gaza despite renewed rocket attack against Israel

Gaza, March 26 (Xinhua) -- A tense calm prevailed in the Palestinian enclave of Gaza Strip on Tuesday despite the launch of a rocket into southern Israel, causing no damage or injuries.

An Israeli army spokesman tweeted on Tuesday night that a rocket fired from Gaza landed in southern Israel, where sirens were triggered off. No one claimed responsibility for the attack.

Meanwhile, two Palestinian factions announced that the Egyptian mediators informed them that Israel is committed to preserving calm in the coastal enclave.

Khader Habib, a senior Islamic Jihad leader, said in a press statement that clam was dominating in Gaza, as a result of the Egypt-brokered ceasefire understandings between the two sides.

But the understandings were only oral, he added, citing that the Israeli side "doesn't want to declare a ceasefire agreement in fear of the Israeli public pressure that may occur before holding the parliamentary elections in Israel on April 9."

Habib also reaffirmed the Palestinian factions' commitment to calm "as long as the Israeli side is committed to."

Asked by Xinhua if there were Israeli conditions for maintaining the calm such as stopping the night demonstrations at the border and ending the launch of arson balloons, Habib denied that Hamas accepted any Israeli conditions "as long as the siege is still imposed on Gaza."

Wisam Zughbor, the leader of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), confirmed that the Egyptians informed the Palestinian factions that Israel was committed to calm in the Gaza Strip.

"The Egyptian mediators informed the factions that it will continue its efforts to enforce calm and exert pressure on the two sides to carry on with their commitments to calm," he said.

The Palestinian factions' commitment to calm is linked to the extent of the Israeli commitment, he added.

Early Sunday morning, a long-range rocket fired from the Gaza Strip struck central Israel, damaging several buildings and wounding seven Israeli civilians. No one claimed responsibility for the attack.

In retaliation, Israel launched more than 50 airstrikes on military targets in Gaza, including the headquarters of Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh.

In return, the join chamber of military operations in Gaza, which comprises Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the DFLP and other minor groups, fired several barrages of rockets into southern Israel.

During the clashes, about 10 Palestinians were injured, Palestinian health authorities in Gaza said.

Mufid al-Hassayna, minister of housing and public work, said that over the past two days, Israeli warplanes destroyed 30 housing units in the Gaza Strip.

Over the past two days, Egypt and the United Nations Special Peace Envoy to the Middle East Nicolai Mladinov have been mediating between the two sides to reach a ceasefire.

However, tension is still high in the Gaza Strip as the Palestinians are preparing for the "1 million" march on Saturday to mark the first anniversary of the Marches of Return and the Palestinian "Land Day." Enditem