TEL AVIV, August 14 (RIA Novosti) – The Israeli military are striking targets in the Gaza Strip in response to the renewed Palestinian rocket attacks, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported early Thursday.
“Following the renewed rocket attacks, the Israeli Defense Forces is targeting terror sites across the Gaza Strip,” the military said.
At least five rockets were launched at Israel in the lead-up to the end of the previously agreed three-day ceasefire, which was set to expire at midnight local time (21:00 GMT), according to the IDF.
Earlier, the Israeli military reported that Palestinian militants in Gaza fired a rocket that landed in southern Israel just two hours before the end of the ceasefire. Hamas denied responsibility for the attack.
Azzam Ahmed, the head of the Palestinian delegation in Cairo, later said that Palestinian factions have agreed to a new five-day Gaza ceasefire to continue negotiations. Izzat Rishq, a senior member of Hamas, said on Twitter that the group agreed to extend the temporary ceasefire for three days.
Israeli officials did not immediately comment on the reported extension.
Egypt has been a mediator in the talks between Israel and Palestinians. Hamas is demanding from Tel Aviv to lift the Gaza Strip blockade. Israel wants to demilitarize Gaza.
On July 8, Israel launched an offensive against the Hamas movement in response to the military group’s rocket attacks. On July 17, the Israeli switched to a ground offensive to destroy the network of Hamas rocket launchers and tunnels along the Gaza border with western Israel.
Around 1,900 Palestinians have been killed in the fighting, the majority of whom are civilians. On the Israeli side, at least 67 people were killed, mostly soldiers.
