After the 72-hour ceasefire,Islamic Militants resumes indiscriminate rocket fire at Israel. At least 5 rockets launched - on...
After the 72-hour ceasefire,Islamic Militants resumes indiscriminate rocket fire at Israel. At least 5 rockets launched - one intercepted over Ashkelon.
Almost 1,900 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed since the launch of Israel's Operation Protective Edge at the beginning of July.
Some 66 Israelis - all but two of them soldiers - have also died in the mission to destroy rockets and tunnels used by the militant Islamist group Hamas.
Palestinians were killed right across Gaza - a strip of land 40km (25 miles) long and 10km wide. The highest numbers lost their lives in Khan Younis, in the south of Gaza, and Gaza City in the north.
Israel had earlier said it was ready to agree to an extension as Egyptian diplomats pursued talks with Israeli and Palestinian delegates in Cairo on ending the war that has devastated the Hamas-controlled enclave.
A Hamas spokesman said Palestinian factions had not agreed to extend the truce, but would continue negotiations in Cairo. Al Arabiya reported that Hamas ruled out extending the truce without Israel and Egypt agreeing to lift the blockade of Gaza.
The Palestinians had wanted Israel to agree in principle to the lifting of the blockade, the release of prisoners and the opening of a sea port.
The armed wing of Hamas released a statement late on Thursday warning Palestinian negotiators not to agree to an extension unless Israel offered concessions. There was no sign that Israel had made any such moves.
Israel also made it clear that it would respond forcefully if attacked and a minister raised the prospect of retaking control of the Gaza Strip to overthrow its Hamas rulers.
In a separate statement, Islamic Jihad and another Palestinian faction claimed responsibility for the rocket fire.
Hamas officials, in their first public rally since a truce with Israel, vowed Thursday to never give up arms and to reignite war if Israel does not accept their demands to lift an economic blockade of the Gaza Strip.
