July 17, 2014: Palestinians gather to withdraw money from ATM machines in Gaza City. The Bank of Palestine opened one of its branches in Gaza City’s Rimal neighborhood as the cease-fire began, drawing hundreds of people trying to withdraw money. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)
Israel’s military confirmed at least three Hamas rockets were fired into southern Israel from the Gaza Strip during a five-hour humanitarian cease-fire window Thursday. Israeli police spokesman Mickey Rosenfield also told the Associated Press that two rockets hit southern Israel, but fell in open areas causing no damage or injuries. Rosenfield said the rockets landed at 12 p.m. local time (5 a.m. ET), two hours after the cease-fire began.
Israel had agreed to the cease-fire requested by the United Nations for the purposes of getting emergency supplies, including food and water into Gaza. Leading up to Thursday’s temporary cease-fire, Israel conducted nearly 2,000 air strikes on Gaza over 10 days, while Hamas fired more than 1,300 rockets into Israel, reaching the country’s economic and cultural heartland. If not for the Iron Done defense system and a recent thwarting of an attempted attack by 13 Islamic militants., Israeli military spokesman Lt. Col. Peter say the attacks “could have had devastating consequences” on the civilian population.
The cross-border fighting has so far killed more than 230 Palestinians and an Israeli, according to officials. However, Israeli officials say Hamas rockets are so indiscriminate, their own rockets touch down in their own territory.
Minutes ago, Hamas fired a rocket at Israel, but it fell short inside of Gaza. This has happened over 100 times. pic.twitter.com/t8e7KAF6EZ
— IDF (@IDFSpokesperson) July 17, 2014
Egypt has resumed efforts to broker a longer-term truce after its initial plan was rejected by Hamas earlier in the week. Hamas, which assumed control of the Gaza Strip seven years ago, wants several international guarantees. First, Hamas demands the joint Israeli-Egyptian blockade will be eased so they can have access to the Al-Aksa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Second, Hamas demands that Israel will release the Palestinian Schalit prisoners.
The six prisoners were initially freed by Israel as part of an exchange for a captured IDF soldier, but later re-arrested in the West Bank after the group recommenced terrorist activities. Israeli officials said the issue of re-releasing the prisoners was “not up for discussion,” because they are simply too much of a danger to their national security.
Reuters had quoted an anonymous Israeli official claiming that Israeli senior representatives at talks in Cairo had accepted an Egyptian proposal for a comprehensive Gaza cease-fire starting on Friday. The source said Israel’s leaders still had to approve the deal. But Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman on Thursday denied these reports, though it is unclear whether a deal was sabotaged by the continued rocket fire from Hamas during the temporary humanitarian cease-fire.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Tuesday attempted to respond to his critics both on his own the Right by firing Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon, a member of his own Likud Party, and Palestinian sympathizers who hold Israel to a higher standard for civilian casualties resulting from the military campaign.
The decision came after Netanyahu was attacked Tuesday by Danon for his decision to accept the Egyptian-proposed cease-fire with Hamas. In addition to Danon, he faced sharp criticism from Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman, Bayit Yehudi head Naftali Bennett, and other politicians inside the Likud. Many of these members of Netanyahu’s government, including Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, support a ground invasion. Lieberman said a press conference that “the Israel Defense Forces must finish this operation in control of the entire Gaza Strip.”
But Netanyahu’s close associates, including those who disagree with the acceptance of the cease-fire, said Danon crossed a line. A source close to Netanyahu told the Jerusalem Post that such a statement coming from Israel’s deputy defense minister “had emboldened Hamas and harmed Israel’s deterrence.”
“While Israel is in the midst of a military operation against terrorist organizations and working determinedly to maintain the security of Israeli citizens, the deputy defense minister cannot sharply attack the leaders of the state,” Netanyahu said. “His harsh statements, which Hamas used against Israel, prove his irresponsibility.”
Netanyahu said that if Danon lacked confidence in his own government, he should have resigned. But when it became clear that he wasn’t going to resign, Netanyahu fired him.
