Dunya News - Israel extends Gaza ceasefire, but Hamas resumes rocket fire
Dunya News
2014-07-27
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Israel has extended Gaza ceasefire for another 24 hours, but Hamas had rejected Israel's decision.
GAZA CITY (AFP) - Israel said Sunday it was extending a lull in its devastating military operation in Gaza for another 24 hours, but Hamas said it would not do likewise after resuming rocket fire at the end of mutually agreed 12-hour ceasefire on Saturday.
Israel's cabinet "approved the UN request regarding a humanitarian ceasefire to run until midnight (2100 GMT) Sunday", an Israeli government official told AFP on condition of anonymity late Saturday.
Hamas reacted in a statement that "no humanitarian ceasefire is valid without Israeli tanks withdrawing from the Gaza Strip and without residents being able to return to their homes and ambulances carrying bodies being able to freely move around in Gaza".
The armed Palestinian group fired rockets at central and southern Israel immediately after the expiry of the 12-hour ceasefire Saturday both sides had abided by. Israel's Iron Dome missile interception defences knocked some out of the sky and no casualties were reported.
Israel's unilateral decision to continue the ceasefire signalled a pause in its assault on Gaza which since July 8 has killed more than 1,000 Palestinians.
Over the same period, 42 Israeli soldiers deployed into Gaza have been killed, according to the latest military toll. Three civilians in Israel also died.
The deadly confrontation spurred calls from around the world for both sides to extend the ceasefire to enable negotiations for a longer-term truce.
US Secretary of State John Kerry met European and Middle Eastern foreign ministers in Paris on Saturday to push both sides to extend the temporary cessation of hostilities.
Israel agreed to extend its ceasefire for four hours, and then announced the 24-hour prolongation to late Sunday.
"We all call on parties to extend the humanitarian ceasefire," France's Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told reporters in Paris after the meeting with Kerry and counterparts from Britain, Germany, Italy, Turkey and Qatar, as well as an EU representative.
GAZA CITY (AFP) - Israel said Sunday it was extending a lull in its devastating military operation in Gaza for another 24 hours, but Hamas said it would not do likewise after resuming rocket fire at the end of mutually agreed 12-hour ceasefire on Saturday.
Israel's cabinet "approved the UN request regarding a humanitarian ceasefire to run until midnight (2100 GMT) Sunday", an Israeli government official told AFP on condition of anonymity late Saturday.
Hamas reacted in a statement that "no humanitarian ceasefire is valid without Israeli tanks withdrawing from the Gaza Strip and without residents being able to return to their homes and ambulances carrying bodies being able to freely move around in Gaza".
The armed Palestinian group fired rockets at central and southern Israel immediately after the expiry of the 12-hour ceasefire Saturday both sides had abided by. Israel's Iron Dome missile interception defences knocked some out of the sky and no casualties were reported.
Israel's unilateral decision to continue the ceasefire signalled a pause in its assault on Gaza which since July 8 has killed more than 1,000 Palestinians.
Over the same period, 42 Israeli soldiers deployed into Gaza have been killed, according to the latest military toll. Three civilians in Israel also died.
The deadly confrontation spurred calls from around the world for both sides to extend the ceasefire to enable negotiations for a longer-term truce.
US Secretary of State John Kerry met European and Middle Eastern foreign ministers in Paris on Saturday to push both sides to extend the temporary cessation of hostilities.
Israel agreed to extend its ceasefire for four hours, and then announced the 24-hour prolongation to late Sunday.
"We all call on parties to extend the humanitarian ceasefire," France's Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told reporters in Paris after the meeting with Kerry and counterparts from Britain, Germany, Italy, Turkey and Qatar, as well as an EU representative.
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