(New York Times) Isabel Kershner and Jodi Rudoren - A 72-hour truce in the Gaza fighting expired at 8 a.m. Friday as Palestinians fired a barrage of rockets into Israel, signaling Hamas' refusal to extend the lull and its desire to apply pressure for its demands to be met at talks in Cairo. In response, the Israeli military said it had targeted "terror sites" across Gaza. Israel had said it was willing to extend the truce unconditionally. Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, an IDF spokesman, said: "The renewed rocket attacks by terrorists at Israel are unacceptable, intolerable and shortsighted. Hamas' bad decision to breach the cease-fire will be pursued by the IDF. We will continue to strike Hamas, its infrastructure, its operatives and restore security for the State of Israel." Indirect talks underway in Cairo appear to have yielded few results. Israel is demanding measures to prevent Hamas from rearming and, eventually, the demilitarization of Gaza.
2014-08-08 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive