Israel Matzav

And again? We cease they fire?

Israel has agreed to a 72-hour 'humanitarian' cease fire proposal from US Secretary of State John FN Kerry and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon. Israel has said that it will continue to destroy terror tunnels during the cease fire (they are 85% destroyed) and Hamas continued to fire rockets right up to the 8:00 am deadline. This is from the first link.

The ceasefire will begin at 8 a.m. on Aug. 1, they said in a joint statement. The statement said "forces on the ground will remain in place" during the truce, implying that Israeli ground forces will not withdraw.

Hamas said it would abide by a three-day mutual cease-fire with Israel to begin early on Friday.

"Acknowledging a call by the United Nations and in consideration of the situation of our people, resistance factions agreed to a 72-hour humanitarian and mutual calm that begins at 8 a.m on Friday as long as the other side abides by it," Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said.

"All the Palestinian factions are united behind the issue in this regard," Abu Zuhri said. UN Middle East envoy Robert Serry has received assurances that all parties have agreed to the humanitarian cease-fire, the statement put out by the US and UN said.

"We urge all parties to act with restraint until this humanitarian ceasefire begins, and to fully abide by their commitments during the cease-fire," Kerry and Ban said. "This cease-fire is critical to giving innocent civilians a much-needed reprieve from violence."

Israeli and Palestinian delegations will immediately travel to Cairo for negotiations with the Egyptian government to reach a durable cease-fire, the statement said.

The rocket fire continued right up to this morning's deadline. This is from the third link.

Hamas fired a salvo of rockets at the south just before 7:00 am Friday; two rockets hit open areas in S'dot HaNegev and in the Merhavim area. There are no injuries or damage. 

Later, additional rockets were fired at Ashkelon and Ashdod, just after 7:30 am. Two rockets were intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system over Ashdod; there are no reports of injuries or damage. 

Yet another salvo was fired, just five minutes before 8:00 am, at Gaza Belt communities.

The barrages were fired just minutes before a 72-hour ceasefire was to take effect, in a UN and US-brokered deal slated to begin 8:00 am Friday.

In the meantime, Jerusalem police are preparing for riots in the 'eastern' part of the city. What could go wrong?

Labels: cease fire, Gaza, Hamas, IDF, Operation Protective Edge

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:39 AM