Gaza Terrorists Resume Rocket Fire on Negev After Brief Hiatus

Jerusalem Post
December 23, 2008

http://www.jewishpolicycenter.org/518/gaza-terrorists-resume-rocket-fire-on-negev-after

Gaza terrorists fired four Kassam rockets at the western Negev on Tuesday, the first attacks after a day-long informal cease-fire.

Two of the rockets hit an open area in the Eshkol region, while the others landed in the Sha'ar Hanegev region. No one was wounded and no damage was reported.

Meanwhile, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said Egypt would push for a new truce between Israel and Hamas. Abbas spoke after meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo.

On Monday, two Hamas officials said the group had agreed to a 24-hour cease-fire. It came after a warning from Egypt that Israel would begin assassinating Hamas leaders if the rocket attacks continued.

The brief cease-fire was also linked to a transfer of aid from Egypt, scheduled to arrive in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday.

A Hamas spokesman announced Tuesday that the rocket fire on the South would resume as soon as the aid arrived in Gaza via the Kerem Shalom crossing, Israel Radio reported.

Egypt's Foreign Ministry had initially denied the reports that it had asked Hamas to temporarily hold its fire as a condition for transferring the aid. Islamic Jihad also denied that a 24-hour truce was in place.

Earlier Tuesday, senior Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar was quoted as saying that his group was willing to extend the temporary cease-fire if Israel abides by the terms agreed upon in June.

Speaking to the Egyptian newspaper Al-Aharam, Zahar said Hamas would hold a "situation assessment" to discuss the 24-hour truce. "If [we see] that the cease-fire has had good results, it's likely that the truce will continue," he said.

On Monday afternoon, Gaza gunmen fired at IDF soldiers patrolling the security fence near the Sufa crossing, seemingly in violation of the informal truce. The troops returned fire. No one was wounded and no damage was reported.

In addition, soldiers arrested two Palestinians near Kissufim who had crossed the Gaza fence. They were transferred for interrogation.

Also Monday afternoon, three Kassam rockets fired by Gaza terrorists hit southern Israel. One struck the Eshkol region, while two hit the Sha'ar Hanegev area. No one was wounded and no damage was reported.

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