Israeli jets struck militant group Hamas targets in Gaza on Wednesday in retaliation for incendiary balloons that lit fires in several locations in Israel. It has raised doubts about the fragility of a cease-fire in the region.

The Hamas claimed it was retaliating for the protest that the Israeli ultranationalists had held a day before chanting “Death to Arabs” and parading through the streets of east Jerusalem.

The march followed by incendiary balloons by Hamas and then the retaliatory airstrikes. Some people believe that the fragile ceasefire, that was agreed upon after last month’s 11-day war between Israel and Hamas, could crumble anytime.

Palestinians find the march provocative as is meant to celebrate Israel’s capture of east Jerusalem in 1967. Hamas had called on Palestinians to resist the parade.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that Hamas was “responsible for all events transpiring in the Gaza Strip, and will bear the consequences for its actions” and went on to say that Israel was “prepared for any scenario, including a resumption of hostilities.” Hamas has also been virulent in its statements against Israel after the airstrikes.

The incendiary balloons and the airstrike come days after the new government took over and this could pose a new challenge to prime minister Naftali Bennett.

Israel’s foreign minister Yair Lapid had condemned the ultranationalists' racist slogans calling them “a disgrace to the Israeli people.” “It is incomprehensible that people can hold the Israeli flag in one hand and shout ‘Death to Arabs’ at the same time,” he added.

One of the members of the coalition in power, Mansour Abbas, has said that the march was “an attempt to set the region on fire for political aims.”

Israeli airstrikes hit Gaza:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/06/15/israel-gaza-airstrikes-hamas

Protests against Israeli far-right march through Jerusalem:
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/6/15/gaza-protests-against-israeli-right-wing-march-through-jerusalem

News report:
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/06/15/middleeast/israel-airstrikes-gaza-june-15-intl/index.html