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| Israel-Gaza conflict: 'Rockets launched' and Israeli strikes resume as Hamas rejects extending three-day ceasefire | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Israeli military says it has resumed strikes on targets "across Gaza" in response to rocket fire as a 72-hour ceasefire expired this morning. | |
| The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) accused Gaza militants of firing a barrage of 18 rockets at southern Israel shortly after the three-day truce between Israel and Hamas expired at 8am local time. Fourteen hit open areas and two were intercepted by its Iron Dome missile defence system. | |
| The Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev blamed militants for breaking the truce, saying: "The ceasefire is over - they did that." | |
| The Palestinian militant group Hamas rejected an extension on a three-day ceasefire which expired this morning after largely holding, saying Israel had failed to meet its demands during negotiations in Egypt. | |
| Earlier, a senior Hamas official said the militant group would not extend the cease-fire as Israel had rejected all of Hamas' demands in Egyptian-brokered talks, including the re-opening of Gaza's borders. | Earlier, a senior Hamas official said the militant group would not extend the cease-fire as Israel had rejected all of Hamas' demands in Egyptian-brokered talks, including the re-opening of Gaza's borders. |
| A spokesman from Hamas' military wing had earlier released a statement calling on Palestinian negotiators holding indirect talks in Cairo to reject any ceasefire unless its demands were met. However, he said negotiations in Cairo would continue. | A spokesman from Hamas' military wing had earlier released a statement calling on Palestinian negotiators holding indirect talks in Cairo to reject any ceasefire unless its demands were met. However, he said negotiations in Cairo would continue. |
| The talks followed a month of bitter Israel-Hamas fighting, during which 1,900 Palestinians have been killed and more than 9,000 wounded. | The talks followed a month of bitter Israel-Hamas fighting, during which 1,900 Palestinians have been killed and more than 9,000 wounded. |
| Air strikes have devastated large areas along Gaza's border with Israel and displaced tens of thousands of people. Sixty-seven people, all but three of them soldiers, were killed on the Israeli side, and Gaza militants fired thousands of rockets at Israel over the past month. | Air strikes have devastated large areas along Gaza's border with Israel and displaced tens of thousands of people. Sixty-seven people, all but three of them soldiers, were killed on the Israeli side, and Gaza militants fired thousands of rockets at Israel over the past month. |
| According to one Palestinian media report, Egypt had proposed that even without a formal extension of the truce, the two sides would hold their fire in coming days to allow for a continuation of the negotiations. | According to one Palestinian media report, Egypt had proposed that even without a formal extension of the truce, the two sides would hold their fire in coming days to allow for a continuation of the negotiations. |
| The expiration of the temporary truce was preceded by all-night meetings between Egyptian mediators and the Palestinian delegation in Cairo. | The expiration of the temporary truce was preceded by all-night meetings between Egyptian mediators and the Palestinian delegation in Cairo. |
| The Cairo talks focused on new border arrangements for Gaza, including the lifting of a blockade by Israel and Egypt and reconstruction of the battered territory. Israel and Egypt had enforced the blockade to varying degrees since Hamas seized Gaza by force in 2007. | The Cairo talks focused on new border arrangements for Gaza, including the lifting of a blockade by Israel and Egypt and reconstruction of the battered territory. Israel and Egypt had enforced the blockade to varying degrees since Hamas seized Gaza by force in 2007. |
| Israel has said it is willing to consider easing the border restrictions, but demands that Hamas disarm, a condition the militant group has rejected. Israel argues that it needs to keep Gaza's borders as long as Hamas tries to smuggle weapons into Gaza. | Israel has said it is willing to consider easing the border restrictions, but demands that Hamas disarm, a condition the militant group has rejected. Israel argues that it needs to keep Gaza's borders as long as Hamas tries to smuggle weapons into Gaza. |
| On 8 July, Israel launched Operation Protective Edge on the coastal territory, and nine days later, sent in ground troops to target rocket launchers and a network of cross-border tunnels it says are built by Hamas to conduct attacks inside Israel. | On 8 July, Israel launched Operation Protective Edge on the coastal territory, and nine days later, sent in ground troops to target rocket launchers and a network of cross-border tunnels it says are built by Hamas to conduct attacks inside Israel. |
| Additional reporting by Reuters | Additional reporting by Reuters |