Update 12:05 pm: Three rockets fired by terrorists in Gaza landed in the Eshkol Regional Council in violation of the ceasefire.
Update 1:30 pm: Sirens continue to sound throughout southern Israel in direct violation of the ceasefire. The IDF upheld the ceasefire and did not fire back despite the rocket fire.
Update 3:01 pm: One minute after the end of the ceasefire, sirens sound in Ashkelon.
In what is being called a “humanitarian ceasefire,” the IDF has halted operations in Gaza as of 10:00 a.m. Thursday morning.
The ceasefire is being given a five hour window as long as Hamas does not shoot any rockets into Israel, the IDF stated.
The ceasefire, brokered by the United Nations, is being called a “humanitarian window” by the IDF, allowing humanitarian goods into Gaza to help the population residing in the Strip.
“This is not a humanitarian ceasefire,” said IDF spokesman Brig. Gen. Motiz Almoz. “The correct concept is a humanitarian window requested by the United Nations, to help the population trapped in Gaza under a regime that uses it as hostages.”
Almoz made clear that the IDF will immediately return fire and stop the ceasefire should terrorists operating in the Gaza Strip continue to launch attacks against Israel.
“We call on Hamas to allow Gaza to have this window. If we have to attack to prevent rocket fire during the window, we won’t hesitate to do so,” he added.
Minutes before the start of the ceasefire, a barrage of rockets was fired towards Be’er Sheva. The Iron Dome missile defense system intercepted four of the rockets.
Since the start of Operation Protective Edge, 1,377 rockets have been fired from Gaza into Israeli cities. According to the IDF, this is one rocket every 10 minutes.
Israeli and Hamas negotiating teams arrived in Egypt Wednesday night for indirect negotiations, Egyptian media reported. Egyptian representatives are attempting to broker a ceasefire deal between the two sides.
A Hamas official stated on Thursday that Israel would have to “pay a price” if it wanted a the rocket attacks to stop.
