Hamas's official website reported Tuesday that an Israeli drone has attacked targets east of Gaza City, according to Walla. The Maariv/NRG website also reported that Israel has attacked targets in eastern Gaza.
If true, this is the first Israeli attack in Gaza following the failed cease fire declaration.
According to the IDF, at least 35 rockets have been fired on Israel since 9:00 a.m. Tuesday, when an Egyptian-brokered truce was meant to come into effect. A direct hit was scored on a house in Ashdod but no one was injured. Two rockets were intercepted around 1:00 p.m. over the Shefelah coastal plain region.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu delivered a message to Hamas Tuesday in a press conference, according to which the IDF operation in Gaza will continue and be widened, unless Hamas stops firing at Israel.
"If Hamas rejects the ceasefire, we will have international legitimacy to restore the necessary quiet,” he said, some three hours after the hour set for the ceasefire passed, only to be followed by more rockets from Hamas.
"The goal of the operation was and remains to restore quiet while delivering a harsh blow to Hamas. We have hit them very hard and we foiled attempts to terrorize Israel's population. We heeded the Egyptian offer in order to give a chance to demilitarization of the Gaza Strip by diplomatic means. If Hamas rejects this – and it looks that way – Israel will have all the legitimacy to restore quiet,” he added.
Israel accepted the truce in a surprise move Tuesday morning, after Hamas categorically rejected the notion of a ceasefire Monday night.