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| Israel’s Security Cabinet Accepts Egyptian Cease-Fire Proposal | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| JERUSALEM — Israel accepted Egypt’s proposal for a cessation of hostilities with Hamas and other militant Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday morning, but a fresh barrage of rockets from Gaza into southern Israel has left the fate of the cease-fire unclear. | JERUSALEM — Israel accepted Egypt’s proposal for a cessation of hostilities with Hamas and other militant Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday morning, but a fresh barrage of rockets from Gaza into southern Israel has left the fate of the cease-fire unclear. |
| The Israeli announcement came via text message and without comment after Israel’s top ministers, known as its security cabinet, met early Tuesday. | The Israeli announcement came via text message and without comment after Israel’s top ministers, known as its security cabinet, met early Tuesday. |
| “In accordance with the government directives, the I.D.F. now holds fire,” Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, a military spokesman, said in a statement nearly two hours after the announcement, using the abbreviation for the Israel Defense Forces. “We remain alert and preserve high preparedness levels, both defensive and offensive. If the Hamas terror organization will fire at Israel, we shall respond.” | “In accordance with the government directives, the I.D.F. now holds fire,” Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, a military spokesman, said in a statement nearly two hours after the announcement, using the abbreviation for the Israel Defense Forces. “We remain alert and preserve high preparedness levels, both defensive and offensive. If the Hamas terror organization will fire at Israel, we shall respond.” |
| More than two hours after Israel’s announcement, a fresh barrage of rockets flew from Gaza into southern Israel; one hit a home in the city of Ashdod, causing damage but no injuries, according to a military statement. From 9 a.m. to noon, Israel counted 22 rockets from Gaza, four of which were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system. | More than two hours after Israel’s announcement, a fresh barrage of rockets flew from Gaza into southern Israel; one hit a home in the city of Ashdod, causing damage but no injuries, according to a military statement. From 9 a.m. to noon, Israel counted 22 rockets from Gaza, four of which were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system. |
| Hamas leaders in Gaza were not answering their mobile phones on Tuesday in the hour after Israel’s announcement. Earlier on Tuesday morning, the group’s armed wing, Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, “totally and completely” rejected the Egyptian initiative in a statement emailed to journalists. | Hamas leaders in Gaza were not answering their mobile phones on Tuesday in the hour after Israel’s announcement. Earlier on Tuesday morning, the group’s armed wing, Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, “totally and completely” rejected the Egyptian initiative in a statement emailed to journalists. |
| “If the published text of this initiative is correct, we only say that this is an initiative of subordination and submission,” the statement said. “For us, this initiative isn’t worth the ink used for typing it.” | “If the published text of this initiative is correct, we only say that this is an initiative of subordination and submission,” the statement said. “For us, this initiative isn’t worth the ink used for typing it.” |
| The website of Al Resalah, a Gaza-based news organization affiliated with Hamas, on Tuesday quoted Lebanese-based Hamas officials responding to the Israeli move. “The occupation must accept the conditions and demands of the resistance,” Osama Hamdan, Hamas’s director of foreign affairs, was quoted as saying by Al Resalah, referring to the opening of border crossings and the release of former Palestinian prisoners rearrested in the West Bank in recent weeks. “Hamas refuses any blackmailing or submission to conditions degrading the rights of resistance,” Mr. Hamdan was quoted as saying. | The website of Al Resalah, a Gaza-based news organization affiliated with Hamas, on Tuesday quoted Lebanese-based Hamas officials responding to the Israeli move. “The occupation must accept the conditions and demands of the resistance,” Osama Hamdan, Hamas’s director of foreign affairs, was quoted as saying by Al Resalah, referring to the opening of border crossings and the release of former Palestinian prisoners rearrested in the West Bank in recent weeks. “Hamas refuses any blackmailing or submission to conditions degrading the rights of resistance,” Mr. Hamdan was quoted as saying. |
| A representative of Islamic Jihad, another militant Gaza group, described Israel’s move as “meaningless” and “unserious,” according to Al Resalah. | A representative of Islamic Jihad, another militant Gaza group, described Israel’s move as “meaningless” and “unserious,” according to Al Resalah. |
| Although several top Israeli ministers had criticized the idea of a cease-fire, saying that not enough damage had yet been inflicted on Hamas’s infrastructure and weapons cache, analysts saw little downside for Israel in accepting the Egyptian outline. The cease-fire will either lead to a genuine calm that benefits both sides or, if Hamas rejects the terms, provide Israel with more international legitimacy to continue the conflict. | Although several top Israeli ministers had criticized the idea of a cease-fire, saying that not enough damage had yet been inflicted on Hamas’s infrastructure and weapons cache, analysts saw little downside for Israel in accepting the Egyptian outline. The cease-fire will either lead to a genuine calm that benefits both sides or, if Hamas rejects the terms, provide Israel with more international legitimacy to continue the conflict. |
| “If Hamas looks at the cards it has been dealt — and they are very weak cards indeed — resuming military operations against Israel is not a good hand to play,” Michael B. Oren, Israel’s former ambassador to the United States, told reporters on Tuesday in a conference call organized by The Israel Project, an advocacy group. “Now that Israel has accepted the cease-fire and has offered to go into further negotiations,” Mr. Oren said, “if Hamas reopens fire, Israel’s justification for responding in a very robust way is greatly reinforced.” | “If Hamas looks at the cards it has been dealt — and they are very weak cards indeed — resuming military operations against Israel is not a good hand to play,” Michael B. Oren, Israel’s former ambassador to the United States, told reporters on Tuesday in a conference call organized by The Israel Project, an advocacy group. “Now that Israel has accepted the cease-fire and has offered to go into further negotiations,” Mr. Oren said, “if Hamas reopens fire, Israel’s justification for responding in a very robust way is greatly reinforced.” |
| The Egyptian proposal calls for Israelis and representatives of the militant Palestinian factions to meet in Cairo within 48 hours to negotiate terms for a longer-term truce. The initial cease-fire calls for border crossings into Gaza to “be opened” and for the movement of people and goods to be “facilitated once the security situation becomes stable on the ground.” | The Egyptian proposal calls for Israelis and representatives of the militant Palestinian factions to meet in Cairo within 48 hours to negotiate terms for a longer-term truce. The initial cease-fire calls for border crossings into Gaza to “be opened” and for the movement of people and goods to be “facilitated once the security situation becomes stable on the ground.” |
| Overnight, The Israeli military said it had bombed 25 sites in Gaza. | Overnight, The Israeli military said it had bombed 25 sites in Gaza. |
| A spokesman for Gaza’s Health Ministry said five people had been killed in Israeli airstrikes on Rafah and Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, bringing the total number of Palestinians killed since the operation began on Monday to 185; about 1,400 others have been wounded. | A spokesman for Gaza’s Health Ministry said five people had been killed in Israeli airstrikes on Rafah and Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, bringing the total number of Palestinians killed since the operation began on Monday to 185; about 1,400 others have been wounded. |
| Ashraf al-Qedra, the Health Ministry spokesman, and local journalists said that Ismail and Mohammed Najjar, relatives in their 40s who worked as guards on agricultural land in a former Israeli settlement in Khan Younis, were killed early Tuesday. In Rafah, drone strikes killed Atwa al-Amour, a 63-year-old farmer, and Bushra Zourob, 53, who was near the target, a man on a motorbike, who was wounded. | Ashraf al-Qedra, the Health Ministry spokesman, and local journalists said that Ismail and Mohammed Najjar, relatives in their 40s who worked as guards on agricultural land in a former Israeli settlement in Khan Younis, were killed early Tuesday. In Rafah, drone strikes killed Atwa al-Amour, a 63-year-old farmer, and Bushra Zourob, 53, who was near the target, a man on a motorbike, who was wounded. |
| The Israeli military said two people were lightly injured by a rocket that fell in the southern Israeli resort city of Eilat early Tuesday. No Israelis have been killed during the current escalation. | The Israeli military said two people were lightly injured by a rocket that fell in the southern Israeli resort city of Eilat early Tuesday. No Israelis have been killed during the current escalation. |
| A military spokeswoman said Tuesday morning that Israel had hit 1,609 targets in Gaza during the eight-day operation, and counted 1,090 rockets fired into Israel, 193 of which had been intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system. | A military spokeswoman said Tuesday morning that Israel had hit 1,609 targets in Gaza during the eight-day operation, and counted 1,090 rockets fired into Israel, 193 of which had been intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system. |
| Although there was speculation that Secretary of State John Kerry of the United States would fly to Cairo to facilitate the discussions, he is expected instead to head back to Washington on Tuesday afternoon from Vienna, where he was trying to iron out a deal on Iran’s nuclear program. Mr. Kerry is expected to brief reporters before leaving Vienna. | Although there was speculation that Secretary of State John Kerry of the United States would fly to Cairo to facilitate the discussions, he is expected instead to head back to Washington on Tuesday afternoon from Vienna, where he was trying to iron out a deal on Iran’s nuclear program. Mr. Kerry is expected to brief reporters before leaving Vienna. |
| Haaretz, an Israeli daily, reported that Israel’s foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, and the economy minister, Naftali Bennett, both of whom have opposed a cease-fire with Hamas until Israeli forces inflict significantly more damage, voted against the pact in Tuesday morning’s meeting. The right-wing housing minister, Uri Ariel — who is not a member of the security cabinet — called the decision “a strategic mistake akin to building a train without paving the last kilometer,” Haaretz reported. | Haaretz, an Israeli daily, reported that Israel’s foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, and the economy minister, Naftali Bennett, both of whom have opposed a cease-fire with Hamas until Israeli forces inflict significantly more damage, voted against the pact in Tuesday morning’s meeting. The right-wing housing minister, Uri Ariel — who is not a member of the security cabinet — called the decision “a strategic mistake akin to building a train without paving the last kilometer,” Haaretz reported. |
| Isaac Herzog, the head of the Israeli Labor Party and leader of the opposition in Parliament, said: “If the cease-fire doesn’t lead to forward movement in the peace process it is useless.” | Isaac Herzog, the head of the Israeli Labor Party and leader of the opposition in Parliament, said: “If the cease-fire doesn’t lead to forward movement in the peace process it is useless.” |