By Ezekiel David
A deadly explosion near a Tel Aviv synagogue on Sunday, claimed by Hamas and Islamic Jihad, has heightened tensions as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel urging a ceasefire in the 10-month Gaza war.
Israeli authorities labelled the bombing on Sunday night, which killed the attacker and injured a bystander, as a terrorist attack.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad declared that their “martyrdom operations” will carry on as long as Israel’s “massacres and assassination policy” persisted, connecting the bombing to current Israeli operations in Gaza.
The statement alluded to Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was assassinated in Tehran recently; Israel has neither acknowledged nor denied responsibility for the killing.
The Tel Aviv bombing occurred just an hour after Blinken landed in Tel Aviv, aiming to broker a truce in the ongoing conflict that has devastated Gaza and claimed thousands of lives.
The urgency for a resolution has escalated as Iran, following Haniyeh’s assassination, has threatened retaliation against Israel, raising fears of a wider regional conflict.
(Source: Reuters)
