A "humanitarian ceasefire" between Israel and Hamas has broken Friday, after Hamas fired yet another salvo of rockets on Israel despite the bilateral truce.
Heavy fighting has now broken out between Israel and Hamas in southern Gaza, according to Palestinian sources, who also claim that eight terrorists have been killed since 10:00 am.
Earlier, Hamas fired a salvo of rockets at the south just before 7:00 am Friday; two rockets hit open areas in S'dot HaNegev and in the Merhavim area. No injuries or damage were reported.
Additional rockets were fired at Ashkelon and Ashdod, just after 7:30 am. Two rockets were intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system over Ashdod; there are no reports of injuries or damage.
Yet another salvo was fired, just five minutes before 8:00 am, at Gaza Belt communities.
The barrages were fired just minutes before a 72-hour ceasefire was to take effect, in a UN and US-brokered deal slated to begin 8:00 am Friday.
The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) announced Friday morning that Israel has officially accepted the three-day truce.
"In accordance with the Cabinet decision, the Prime Minister and Defense Minister [Moshe Ya'alon] have accepted the US's and UN's proposal for a 72-hour humanitarian ceasefire, beginning from 8:00," it said, in a statement.
US Secretary of State John Kerry first announced that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the ceasefire; an announcement from Hamas accepting followed shortly thereafter.
Earlier Friday, the IDF announced that five soldiers had been killed in Gaza while fighting Hamas terrorists on the ground. Their names have not yet been released for publication.
Sixty-one (61) soldiers have been killed since Operation Protective Edge began 25 days ago.