Egypt-backed Ceasefire Collapses as Israel, Hamas Resume Fight
Ron B. Lopez | | Jul 15, 2014 12:29 PM EDT |
Israeli tanks and armored personnel carriers (APCs) are seen at a staging area outside the central Gaza Strip July 15, 2014. (REUTERS)
Israeli forces and Hamas Islamist militants in Gaza strip have resumed their offensive against each other after the Egypt-backed truce collapsed on Tuesday.
The Israel Defense Force (IDF) said it has resumed airstrikes against Hamas targets after ceasing military operations for six hours.
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It turned out to be a one-sided ceasefire; within those six hours, Hamas militants continued to fire rockets into Israel, rejecting the Egyptian-proposed ceasefire.
"Hamas has fired 47 rockets since we suspended our strikes in Gaza at 9 am. As a result, we have resumed our operation against Hamas," IDF said on its website.
This has resulted to the collapse of the truce initiated by Cairo, the first serious diplomatic proposal which seeks to end the week-old war that left over 180 Palestinians in the border dead.
Egypt has stepped in hoping to effect at least a 12-hour truce, during which Israeli and Palestinian negotiators could conduct negotiations in Cairo and extend the truce further while they talked.
This has apparently failed.
Israel said Hamas has fired 76 rockets into its area on Tuesday alone, causing no casualties.
No fatalities were recorded on the part of Israel so far, with the help of its Iron Dome trying to intercept thousands of rockets fired against Israel for eight straight days.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after convening his cabinet to discuss the proposal, agreed to the ceasefire and started to halt its operation.
But Hamas militants opposed the proposed ceasefire, instead laying down other demands before it stops its rocket attacks. Hamas continue with its offensive.
Hamas spokesman Mosheer Al Masri said Israel should end the "aggression" in the West Bank and Gaza, stop its blockade of Gaza, and release the Hamas prisoners arrested this month. But the conditions are unlikely to be accepted by Israel, threatening to conduct ground invasion in the Gaza strip it the militants will continue in its attacks.
On Monday, Israel said it had shot down a drone from Gaza, the first reported deployment of an unmanned aircraft by Palestinian militants and could signal an upgrade on Palestinian arsenal.
IDF said it has attacked 163 terror targets in the Gaza Strip as of Monday, with no apparent end as of the moment.
The Israeli cabinet was scheduled to meet again late Tuesday night, to discuss the next steps to take in the week-long barrage.
TagsIsraeli Defense Forces, Israel, Hamas, Benjamin Netanyahu
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