WarSclerotic

Salvo fired at south hours before ceasefire set to end, Ynet News, Ilana Curiel, August 13, 2014

Two hours before ceasefire set to end, and with parties still working in Cairo to extend lull, Gaza militants break truce, fire rockets at Israel.

Rockets were fired at Israel from Gaza Strip Wednesday evening, two hours before a 72-hour ceasefire was set to expire at midnight.

A rocket from Gaza fell in an open area in the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council and another was reportedly intercepted.

Code red sirens were heard throughout the south Wednesday evening, including the area of Kiryat Gat and the Hof Ashkelon, Sha’ar Hanegev and Yoav regional councils.

The news came as Israeli and Palestinian delegations were working to extend the three day old ceasefire in Gaza.

Head of the Palestinian delegation, Azzam al-Ahmed, said Wednesday that talks in Cairo have ended, but did not say if a deal had been reached. Meanwhile a Hamas source said negotiations have failed and that the Palestinian delegation will announce it is leaving. Israel has reportedly accepted the deal.

A source within the Palestinian delegation confirmed that the Israeli delegation has left and since landed back in Israel, but said that “last minute efforts are still underway.”

The Palestinian delegation was expected to hold a press conference at 9:30 pm (local time) and announce the results of negotiations, but the conference has since been postponed.

Only Sunday morning, before the ceasefire came into effect, six rockets hit Israel’s south, contributing to growing anger in Israel at the government and IDF who told residents they could return last Thursday, under the assumption the ceasefire would hold.

Responding to criticism that Israel was quick the declare an end to the fighting and told citizens it can return to the south, Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon said “We will not compromise until rocket fire and terror completely stop. We see the overarching political and military picture and will not finish the operation until quiet and security are returned to Israel’s citizens.”

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