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Gaza Cease-Fire Collapses; Israeli Soldier Is Captured Gaza Cease-Fire Collapses; Israeli Soldier Is Captured
(35 minutes later)
JERUSALEM — A newly agreed cease-fire in the Gaza conflict collapsed hours after it came into effect on Friday with the Israeli military announcing that a soldier appeared to have been captured by Palestinian militants who emerged from a tunnel near Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. JERUSALEM — A newly agreed cease-fire in the Gaza conflict collapsed soon after it came into effect on Friday with the Israeli military announcing that a soldier appeared to have been captured by Palestinian militants who emerged from a tunnel near Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.
Gaza health officials said that 35 Palestinians were killed and more than 100 wounded as Israeli forces bombarded the area. Palestinian witnesses said by telephone that Israeli tank shells hit eastern Rafah as residents returned to inspect homes that they had evacuated. Gaza health officials said that 35 Palestinians were killed and more than 100 wounded as Israeli forces bombarded the area. Palestinian witnesses said by telephone that Israeli tank shells hit eastern Rafah as residents returned to inspect homes they had evacuated.
Hamas blamed Israel for violating the truce, saying in a statement that the announcement about the capture of one of its soldiers was “to cover up the barbaric massacres, especially in Rafah.”
Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, a spokesman for the Israeli military, said that government forces were moving to destroy a tunnel, as the terms of the cease-fire allowed for, when several militants came out of the ground.Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, a spokesman for the Israeli military, said that government forces were moving to destroy a tunnel, as the terms of the cease-fire allowed for, when several militants came out of the ground.
Colonel Lerner said the militants included at least one suicide attacker, that there was an exchange of fire on the ground and that initial indications were that a soldier was apparently dragged back into the tunnel. He was unable to offer details about the soldier’s condition or whether anyone was killed in the attack. He said the episode began at around 9.30 a.m., about 90 minutes after the 72-hour cease-fire came into effect. Colonel Lerner said the militants included at least one suicide attacker, that there was an exchange of fire on the ground and that initial indications were that a soldier was apparently dragged back into the tunnel. He was unable to offer details about the soldier’s condition or whether anyone was killed in the attack. He said the episode began at around 9.30 a.m., roughly 90 minutes after the 72-hour cease-fire came into effect.
“The cease-fire is over,” Colonel Lerner said, adding that the military was carrying out “extensive operations on the ground” to try to locate the missing soldier. He did not identify the soldier but said his family had been notified. “The cease-fire is over,” Colonel Lerner said, adding that the military was carrying out “extensive operations on the ground” to try to locate the missing soldier.
The Israeli military identified the missing soldier as Second Lt. Hadar Goldin, a 23-year-old officer in an infantry brigade.
Moussa Abu Marzouk, a senior official in the political wing of Hamas, the Islamic group that dominates Gaza, told the Turkish news media that Hamas had taken a soldier captive but claimed the event took place before the cease-fire began.Moussa Abu Marzouk, a senior official in the political wing of Hamas, the Islamic group that dominates Gaza, told the Turkish news media that Hamas had taken a soldier captive but claimed the event took place before the cease-fire began.
The Israeli prime minister’s office said in a statement, “Once again, Hamas and the terrorist organizations in Gaza have blatantly violated the cease-fire to which they committed themselves, this time before the American secretary of state and the secretary general of the United Nations.”The Israeli prime minister’s office said in a statement, “Once again, Hamas and the terrorist organizations in Gaza have blatantly violated the cease-fire to which they committed themselves, this time before the American secretary of state and the secretary general of the United Nations.”
The humanitarian cease-fire, negotiated by the United States and the United Nations, came as a surprise and was announced in a statement by Secretary of State John Kerry in the middle of the night in India, where he had met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in New York.The humanitarian cease-fire, negotiated by the United States and the United Nations, came as a surprise and was announced in a statement by Secretary of State John Kerry in the middle of the night in India, where he had met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in New York.
Hostilities had continued overnight, with Israeli airstrikes and shelling that killed 14 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials. Militants fired rockets into Israel until minutes before the 8 a.m. deadline.Hostilities had continued overnight, with Israeli airstrikes and shelling that killed 14 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials. Militants fired rockets into Israel until minutes before the 8 a.m. deadline.
The announcement of the cease-fire came after several shorter humanitarian truces fell apart over the past week. The cease-fire announced overnight appeared to be more significant, with Israeli and Palestinian negotiators scheduled to head to Cairo this weekend for formal talks on the conflict, which has resulted in the deaths of more than 1,400 Palestinians and 64 on the Israeli side.The announcement of the cease-fire came after several shorter humanitarian truces fell apart over the past week. The cease-fire announced overnight appeared to be more significant, with Israeli and Palestinian negotiators scheduled to head to Cairo this weekend for formal talks on the conflict, which has resulted in the deaths of more than 1,400 Palestinians and 64 on the Israeli side.
Under the terms of the temporary truce, Israeli forces were permitted to remain in place inside Gaza to continue destroying the labyrinth of tunnels that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said were the prime target of the Israeli ground operation. Both sides said they would respond if fired upon.Under the terms of the temporary truce, Israeli forces were permitted to remain in place inside Gaza to continue destroying the labyrinth of tunnels that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said were the prime target of the Israeli ground operation. Both sides said they would respond if fired upon.
Bassel Qeshta, a resident of Rafah, in the southern part of Gaza, said by telephone that the city was under heavy artillery fire and that shells were landing “like rain.” He said the Israeli forces were also carrying out air strikes. Bassel Qeshta, a resident of Rafah, said by telephone that the city was under heavy artillery fire and that shells were landing “like rain.” He said the Israeli forces were also carrying out airstrikes.
“The forces are advancing into Rafah under a cover from the airplanes,” he said.“The forces are advancing into Rafah under a cover from the airplanes,” he said.
Israel has asserted throughout the Gaza campaign, now in its 25th day, that Hamas was trying to capture a soldier, presumably as a hostage to exchange for its prisoners in Israeli jails. Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier who was captured by militants in a cross-border raid in 2006, was held captive by Hamas for five years. He was eventually exchanged for more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, many of them convicted of deadly attacks against Israelis.
In the current conflict, the Israeli military said it has found handcuffs and tranquilizers in tunnels it had exposed, apparently in preparation for an abduction. Hamas’s military wing released video footage of Hamas gunmen infiltrating Israeli territory through a tunnel earlier this week and carrying out an attack against a small military outpost near the border community of Nahal Oz. Five Israeli soldiers were killed in the assault. The video appeared to show the gunmen trying to drag one of their bodies with them. The Israeli military said that attempt failed after another soldier opened fire on them.
Regarding the suspected capture of a soldier on Friday, Amos Yadlin, a former chief of Israel’s military intelligence directorate, said, “I think that what happened here is that the details of the cease-fire were not sufficiently clarified.” In an interview with Israel Radio he said that the Israeli military will not leave Gaza until it completes its effort to demolish tunnels, even during a ceasefire. “It is not completely clear to me if this was clear to Hamas,” he said.
Mr. Yadlin, who now directs the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University, also said it was possible that the militants who emerged from the tunnel on Friday were cut off and did not know of the cease-fire. “In the absence of any command and control, “he said, “it could be that they emerged to commit a ‘preset’ attack that it had prepared earlier.”