Hamas blames Israel for escalating violence as clashes erupt in West Bank

Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh said on Tuesday Israel had “ignited fire“ in Jerusalem and was responsible for the consequences after an escalation of rocket fire and airstrikes. Haniyeh said Qatar, Egypt and the United Nations had been in contact urging calm but that Hamas’s message to Israel was: “If they want to escalate, the resistance is ready, if they want to stop, the resistance is ready.“ The rocket exchange and violence between Israel and Hamas raised the death toll in two days to 35 Palestinians according to the health ministry and three people in Israel.