After the 72-hour ceasefire expired and the 8 am deadline was reached Hamas resumed rocket fire on southern Israel and Israeli areas surrounding Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the IDF to "respond with force" after Hamas refused to extend the ceasefire and Israel Air Force planes hit targets in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas has officially announced that the ceasefire would not be extended and Israel has recalled its negotiating team from Egypt.
Even before the deadline was reached, Hamas fired several rockets at Ashkelon and the Eshkol region at 4am this morning.
During the morning, there were reports of several people being lightly injured from mortar fire and damage to homes in Sedot Negev.
Before 8 am intensive diplomatic efforts were being conducted to avoid a flare up of hostilities and reach a longer term agreement with talks between the Israeli delegation in Egypt and the Palestinian delegation including the Palestinian Authority, Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
AP reports that Palestinian demands have hardened in recent days regarding the lifting of the blockade of Gaza.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on August 8, 2014
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