TEL-AVIV, August 19 (RIA Novosti) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered to strike “terror targets” in the Gaza Strip after Palestinian rockets landed in the Jewish state Tuesday despite ceasefire, a government source told RIA Novosti.
“In response to the breach of the ceasefire formula by Hamas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon ordered to resume strikes on terror targets in the Gaza Strip,” the source said.
Israel and Gaza agreed to extend the ceasefire by 24 hours on Monday evening in a bid to negotiate a long-term truce. The ceasefire was to expire at 1:00 a.m. Moscow time Wednesday (9:00 p.m. GMT Tuesday).
On July 8, Israel launched an offensive against the Hamas movement in response to the military group’s rocket attacks. On July 17, Israel switched to a ground offensive to destroy the network of Hamas tunnels along Gaza’s Israeli border.
About 1,900 people have lost their lives in Gaza since the beginning of Israel’s Operation Protective Edge, mainly civilians. During this time Israel has lost 64 soldiers, with three more civilians killed in Israel.
