GAZA CROSSINGS CLOSED AFTER QASSAM STRIKES;

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 001089 SENSITIVE SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE, NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/PASCUAL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KWBG IS PGOV PTER ASEC SUBJECT: GAZA CROSSINGS CLOSED AFTER QASSAM STRIKES; PALESTINIAN SHOT NEAR KHAN YUNIS ¶1. (SBU) Palestinian press report an 80-year-old farmer was shot and seriously injured by IDF fire early June 25, 500 meters from the perimeter fence east of Khan Yunis. There were no Qassam rockets or mortars fired from Gaza as of 1600 local on June 25. ¶2. (SBU) UN, Palestinian and NGO contacts report that all Gaza Strip crossings were closed for humanitarian and commercial goods on June 25. Erez crossing was open to limited passenger traffic pre-arranged with the GOI. ¶3. (SBU) Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told local press that "the closure by the occupation is a violation of the deal for calm in Gaza," after the Israeli Defense Ministry ordered Gaza's crossings closed in response to PIJ rocket fire on June 24. Hamas leaders condemned the IDF killings of PIJ and Hamas militants in the Nablus area on June 24, and called for "resistance to Israeli atrocities" in the West Bank, but urged Palestinians in Gaza to exercise restraint and abide by the ceasefire and "national consensus of the truce." Senior Hamas leader Khalil al-Haya told local press that Hamas "remains fully committed to a ceasefire and is working to implement calm, but will not act as police securing the occupation's border," and "will not hold a rifle in the face of resistance fighters." Other Hamas spokesmen said Hamas is pressuring PIJ and other militant groups to abide by the ceasefire, and that Hamas leader Sa'id Siyam met with militant faction chiefs to persuade them to refrain from launching attacks against Israel from Gaza. DUFFY