Israel strikes Gaza after militants resume rocket fire

Israel yesterday launched air strikes across the Gaza Strip in response to Palestinian rockets fired after Egyptian- mediated talks failed to extend a 72-hour truce in the month-long war.

As rocket-warning sirens sounded in southern Israel, the military said Hamas had fired at least 18 rockets from Gaza and Israel’s “Iron Dome” interceptor system brought down two. Gaza militants said they had fired 10 rockets.

In the first casualties since hostilities resumed yesterday, Palestinian medical officials said a 10-year-old boy was killed in an Israeli strike near a mosque in Gaza City. In Israel, police said two people were injured by mortar fire from Gaza.

After a huge explosion in Gaza City, apparently from an air raid, a military spokesman said Israel had responded to Hamas rocket fire by launching air strikes at “terror sites” across the Gaza Strip.

Lieutenant-colonel Peter Lerner said in a statement: “We will continue to strike Hamas, its infrastructure, its operatives, and restore security for the State of Israel.”

An Israeli government official said Israel would not negotiate with Palestinians about renewing the truce as long as militants continued to launch rockets.

Israel had earlier said it was ready to agree to an extension as Egyptian go-betweens pursued negotiations with Israeli and Palestinian delegates.

Hamas said Palestinian factions had not agreed to extend the truce, but would continue negotiations.

The Palestinians had wanted Israel to agree in principle to demands which include a lifting of the blockade on the Gaza Strip, the release of prisoners and the opening of a sea port.

The armed wing of Hamas released a statement late on Thursday warning Palestinian negotiators not to agree to an extension unless Israel offered concessions.

Israel’s strategic affairs minister Yuval Steinitz, speaking on Army Radio, raised the prospect of Israel re-launching a ground operation it halted on Tuesday and “taking control of the Gaza Strip in order to topple the Hamas regime”.

But prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has shown little inclination to do so.

In Gaza, some families who had returned to their homes in the northern town of Beit Hanoun during the ceasefire gathered their belongings and headed back to the UN shelters where they had sought refuge over the past few weeks.

Gaza officials say the war has killed 1,876 Palestinians — most of them civilians.

Israel says 64 of its soldiers and three civilians died.