This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/15/israel-resumes-air-strikes-hamas-rejects-ceasefire

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Israel resumes air strikes after Hamas ceasefire rejection kills civilian Israel resumes air strikes after Hamas ceasefire rejection kills civilian
(about 3 hours later)
The military conflict in Gaza has intensified following a six-hour respite in which Israel halted its aerial bombardment of the coastal enclave after accepting an Egyptian proposal for a ceasefire. The military conflict in Gaza intensified on Tuesday following a six-hour respite in which Israel halted its aerial bombardment of the coastal enclave after accepting an Egyptian proposal for a ceasefire.
Hamas rejected the plan, continuing its rocket fire throughout the day and killing an Israeli citizen at the Erez border crossing, the first Israeli fatality of the conflict. The dead man was understood to be a civilian volunteer delivering food donations to soldiers in the area. An Israeli soldier was also lightly wounded.Hamas rejected the plan, continuing its rocket fire throughout the day and killing an Israeli citizen at the Erez border crossing, the first Israeli fatality of the conflict. The dead man was understood to be a civilian volunteer delivering food donations to soldiers in the area. An Israeli soldier was also lightly wounded.
The first Israeli death will add to growing pressure on the Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, from hardline cabinet colleagues to escalate the offensive. Earlier in the day the foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, advocated a "full takeover of the Gaza Strip" – effectively a re-occupation of territory evacuated by Israeli troops and settlers in 2005. "Israel must go all the way," he said. His deputy, Danny Ayalon, suggested Israeli soldiers were poised to invade Gaza.The first Israeli death will add to growing pressure on the Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, from hardline cabinet colleagues to escalate the offensive. Earlier in the day the foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, advocated a "full takeover of the Gaza Strip" – effectively a re-occupation of territory evacuated by Israeli troops and settlers in 2005. "Israel must go all the way," he said. His deputy, Danny Ayalon, suggested Israeli soldiers were poised to invade Gaza.
Before an Israeli cabinet meeting on Tuesday night, in which it was due to review its military campaign including the possibility of a ground invasion, Netanyahu said in an evening address aired live on television that Israel would intensify its campaign against Hamas. "It would have been preferable to have solved this diplomatically, and this is what we tried to do when we accepted the Egyptian proposal for a ceasefire, but Hamas leaves us no choice but to expand and intensify the campaign against it," Netanyahu said. After an Israeli security cabinet meeting on Tuesday night, Netanyahu issued a statement saying the military operation would continue. "Hamas chose to continue the campaign and it will pay for this decision," he said. "Whoever tries to attack the citizens of Israel, Israel will strike at him. When there is no ceasefire – our answer is fire."
However, that would increase the risk of Israeli casualties and could lead Israel beyond its stated goal of weakening, but not annihilating, Hamas. Later, the Israeli military warned 100,000 Gaza residents to evacuate their homes or risk being caught in further bombardment.
Although most international criticism was directed at Hamas for refusing to join Israel in the proposed "de-escalation", Palestinian sympathisers suggested that the Egyptian ceasefire plan could be a tactical ruse to give Israel cover for intensifying its military campaign. However, any escalation of military action will increase the risk of Israeli casualties and could lead Israel beyond its stated goal of weakening, but not annihilating, Hamas.
In the hours after an earlier statement from Netanyahu that "Hamas's rejection of the ceasefire gives Israel full legitimacy to expand the operation to protect our people", Gaza was hit by at least 30 air strikes, pushing the total Palestinian death toll close to 200, most of whom have been civilians. Although most international criticism was directed at Hamas on Tuesday for refusing to join Israel in the proposed "de-escalation", Palestinian sympathisers suggested that the Egyptian ceasefire plan could be a tactical ruse to give Israel cover for intensifying its military campaign.
The UN described destruction in Gaza over the last eight days as immense, with 560 homes destroyed and thousands damaged. About 17,000 people have sought refuge in schools run by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA. "Hamas's rejection of the ceasefire gives Israel full legitimacy to expand the operation to protect our people," said Netanyahu as bombing resumed. Gaza was hit by at least 30 air strikes on Tuesday afternoon, pushing the total Palestinian death toll close to 200.
The UN described destruction in Gaza over the past eight days as immense, with 560 homes destroyed and thousands damaged. About 17,000 people have sought refuge in schools run by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.
The Red Cross said hundreds of thousands of people were without water after Gaza's supply was devastated, and warned of the risk of disease from contamination and overflowing sewage.The Red Cross said hundreds of thousands of people were without water after Gaza's supply was devastated, and warned of the risk of disease from contamination and overflowing sewage.
Meanwhile, sirens sounded across Tel Aviv, central and southern Israel, warning residents to take to bomb shelters in the face of rocket fire from Gaza.Meanwhile, sirens sounded across Tel Aviv, central and southern Israel, warning residents to take to bomb shelters in the face of rocket fire from Gaza.
The six-hour pause in Israeli air strikes began at 9am on Tuesday as part of a proposal unveiled by Egypt on Monday intended to lead to a full ceasefire and talks with the two sides on a long-term agreement. The six-hour pause in Israeli air strikes began at 9am on Tuesday as part of a proposal unveiled by Egypt on Monday intended to lead to a full ceasefire and talks on a long-term agreement.
Hamas rejected the plan, saying it had not been consulted and its demands were not being met. According to the Israeli military, more than 50 rockets were fired into Israel in the hours before air strikes were resumed. Hamas rejected the plan, saying it had not been consulted and its demands were not being met. According to the Israeli military, more than 50 rockets were fired into Israel before air strikes were resumed.
But there were inconsistent messages from Hamas. Its military wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, robustly rejected the proposal as a "surrender", saying "our battle with the enemy continues and will increase in ferocity and intensity". But Hamas spokesmen in Gaza said the Islamist group had not received an official ceasefire proposal, and its demands must be met before it lays down arms.But there were inconsistent messages from Hamas. Its military wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, robustly rejected the proposal as a "surrender", saying "our battle with the enemy continues and will increase in ferocity and intensity". But Hamas spokesmen in Gaza said the Islamist group had not received an official ceasefire proposal, and its demands must be met before it lays down arms.
Mussa Abu Marzouk, a senior Hamas leader based in Cairo, said on social media that the organisation was "still in consultations. The movement has yet to take an official position on the initiative." Mussa Abu Marzouk, a Hamas leader based in Cairo, said on social media that the organisation was "still in consultations. The movement has yet to take an official position on the initiative."
Hamas is deeply distrustful of the Egyptian regime, although Cairo has been a key player in brokering ceasefires to end previous conflicts between Israel and Hamas. President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, who led a military coup last year, has since outlawed the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas's ideological parent organisation, and attitudes towards Gaza and its rulers have hardened. Hamas is deeply distrustful of the Egyptian regime, although Cairo has been a key player in brokering ceasefires to end previous conflicts between Israel and Hamas. President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has since outlawed the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas's ideological parent organisation.
Hamas and other Palestinian leaders are also likely to be suspicious of the role of Middle East envoy Tony Blair, who has been acting as an interlocutor between Israel and Egypt. He is seen as a staunch defender of Israel's interests and an enthusiast for Sisi's regime. Hamas and other Palestinian leaders are also likely to be suspicious of Middle East envoy Tony Blair, acting as an interlocutor between Israel and Egypt. He is seen as a defender of Israel's interests.
Hamas has set out its key demands for ending rocket fire, which include the lifting of Israel's eight-year blockade on the Gaza Strip, the opening of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt and the release of more than 50 Palestinian prisoners recently rearrested by Israel after freeing them in exchange for the kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2011. Hamas has set out its key demands for ending rocket fire, which include the lifting of Israel's eight-year blockade on the Gaza Strip, the opening of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, and the release of more than 50 Palestinian prisoners recently rearrested by Israel after freeing them in exchange for the kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2011.
The US secretary of state, John Kerry, who had urged all parties to support a ceasefire, said in Vienna before Israel resumed its air strikes: "I cannot condemn strongly enough the actions of Hamas in so brazenly firing rockets in multiple numbers in the face of a goodwill effort to offer ceasefire." The US secretary of state, John Kerry, who urged all parties to support a ceasefire, said in Vienna: "I cannot condemn strongly enough the actions of Hamas in firing rockets in multiple numbers in the face of a goodwill effort to offer ceasefire."
Despite the resumption of action, Israel may be anxious about getting drawn deeper into a military confrontation in Gaza. It may have calculated that its bombardment has achieved its principal goal of weakening Hamas and punishing the people of Gaza. Despite the resumption of action, Israel might be anxious about getting drawn deeper into a confrontation in Gaza. It might have calculated that its bombardment has achieved its goal of weakening Hamas. It does not want to deal a fatal blow to Hamas, for fear that more radical groups would fill a power vacuum.
It does not want to deal a fatal blow to Hamas, for fear that more radical groups would fill a power vacuum.
Previous military confrontations between Israel and Hamas – Operation Pillar of Defence in November 2012, and Operation Cast Lead in 2008-09 – ended in ceasefire and negotiated agreements that eventually broke down. Most diplomats believe the cycle will continue unless the fundamental underlying causes of the wider Israeli-Palestinian conflict are addressed and resolved.