Shortly after 8 this morning, as the Egyptian sponsored 72 hour ceasefire expired, Hamas fired a barrage of rockets into Israel, shattering ceasefire efforts and reigniting the month-long conflict. Among the injured on the Israeli side was Dr. Nachmi Paz, director of Sapir College.
42 seconds after end of ceasefire, rocket sirens sound in Ashkelon #Israel #Gaza pic.twitter.com/IVPO661k8s
— Jon Williams (@WilliamsJon) August 8, 2014
After three days of quiet, the Israeli military said, at least 18 rockets were fired at 8 a.m. and in the hour afterward. Two were intercepted by Israel’s antimissile defense system over Ashkelon, the military said, while 14 others fell in open ground, causing no injury or damage, and two landed short in the Gaza Strip. The military also reported two launchings of rockets or mortar shells from Gaza before dawn. …
Sami Abu Zuhri, a spokesman for Hamas, wrote in an Internet posting on Friday morning that it did not accept an extension of the lull, adding, “We will continue negotiations.” …
Just at 8 a.m., as television correspondents stood on the beachside road in Gaza City to do their live reports, the first rocket was fired. The signature white plume of the Israeli interception was visible in the air for miles. A few more booms were heard in the next 15 minutes, but they hardly disrupted the trickle of donkey carts on the street.
The Jerusalem Post reports that two Israelis were injured:
Two people were injured by the shrapnel from a rocket fired into the Sdot Negev Regional Council from Gaza shortly after noon on Friday. …
One of the injured was a 60-year-old man in moderate-to-severe condition. He suffered from extensive blood loss resulting from serious injuries to his extremities, according to an MDA official at the scene. He was taken to Soroka University Medical Center.
The other injured person, a 20-year-old man, sustained light injuries and was taken to Barzilai Medical Center.
Iron Dome is reported to have shot down three rockets. According to the latest count 35 rockets have been fired into Israel. According to Ynet, Israel didn’t start aerial strikes at terrorist targets inside Gaza until 10:40.
Beginning at 08:01, rocket barrages were launched from Gaza and so far, 35 rockets had been fired at Israel. two fell short inside #Gaza.
— Israel Foreign Min. (@IsraelMFA) August 8, 2014
Australia’s ambassador to Israel, Dave Sharma issued the first diplomatic condemnation of Hamas.
#Gaza ceasefire over. 10 rockets in past 45 minutes. Condemn Hamas for ceasing negotiations & putting interests above Gaza civilians.
— Dave Sharma (@AusAmbIsrael) August 8, 2014
Overnight, before the expiration of the ceasefire, two rockets were fired into Israel but Israel did not respond.
Yesterday Hamas refused to extend the ceasefire and a spokesman for the terrorist group boasted that “resistance fighters have their hands on the trigger.” Hamas’ intransigence reportedly frustrated Fatah officials who were part of the Palestinian negotiating team in Egypt.
[Photo: JoniMasni / YouTube ]