Israel Army Radio announced on Friday that the Israeli government and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire after a week in which at least 100 fires were ignited in southern Israel by aerial incendiary devices launched from Gaza. Fires were reported for 18 consecutive days in southern Israel. The incendiary attacks were in violation of an unofficial ceasefire agreed upon last month between Israel and the Gaza terrorist groups after nearly 700 rockets were fired into Israel. Several rockets were fired at Israel two weeks ago with one making a direct hit on a yeshiva in the city of Sderot. Miraculously, the rocket did not detonate.
Israel responded to the attacks by halting the flow of gasoline and diesel fuel into the Gaza Strip on Tuesday. Last week, Israel extended the fishing zone to 10 nautical miles, after it had been closed entirely for several days. These actions were highly criticized by human rights advocates who claimed it was collective punishment. There were no comments from these groups referring to either the incendiary or rocket attacks against Israel as collective punishment.
There was no confirmation or comment from Israeli officials on the reported truce.
Gadi Yarkoni, head of the Eshkol regional council responded to the report claiming that “We have turned into a place where the enemy can do as he pleases, and if there’s a ceasefire agreement, it seems that the prime minister does not have to update us.”
