Rockets fired from Gaza into Israel, IDF retaliates, violating cease-fire extension

Marcy Oster

JERUSALEM (JTA) — The Israeli military began targeting sites in Gaza after rockets were fired from the coastal strip on the southern Israeli city of Beersheba in violation of a cease-fire extension.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly also recalled Israeli negotiators from cease-fire talks in Cairo after the rockets were fired. Government officials told Haaretz that the talks had collapsed.

The rockets fired Tuesday afternoon broke a 24-hour cease-fire extension agreed to at midnight on Monday night. No sirens were heard in Beersheba after the launch and the Iron Dome missile defense system did not attempt to intercept them.

They are the first rockets to be fired at Israel in nearly a week.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon reportedly ordered the Israel Defense Forces to retaliate.

“Yet again, terrorists breach the ceasefire and renew fire at Israeli civilians from Hamas ruled Gaza Strip. This continued aggression will be addressed accordingly by the IDF; we will continue striking terror infrastructure, pursuing terrorists, and eliminating terror capabilities in the Gaza Strip, in order to restore security for the State of Israel.” IDF spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner said in a statement.

Israel and the Palestinians on Monday night had agreed to a 24-hour extension of a five-day cease-fire, reportedly due to significant progress on an agreement.