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| Rockets From Gaza and Israeli Response Break Cease-Fire | Rockets From Gaza and Israeli Response Break Cease-Fire |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| JERUSALEM — Another Gaza cease-fire collapsed on Tuesday when Palestinian militants fired barrages of rockets deep into Israel, drawing retaliatory airstrikes from Israel and prompting the Israeli government to withdraw its delegation from Egyptian-brokered talks in Cairo for an agreement to end the latest conflict. | JERUSALEM — Another Gaza cease-fire collapsed on Tuesday when Palestinian militants fired barrages of rockets deep into Israel, drawing retaliatory airstrikes from Israel and prompting the Israeli government to withdraw its delegation from Egyptian-brokered talks in Cairo for an agreement to end the latest conflict. |
| Militants had fired at least 50 rockets by midnight, targeting Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and many parts of southern Israel. Most fell in open ground, causing no damage or injuries, and several were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system, according to the Israeli military. The military said it had carried out more than 25 airstrikes in response, Many targeted open spaces, but the Health Ministry in Gaza said that three people were killed when a house was bombed. | |
| Israel has repeatedly said it will not negotiate under fire. As a five-day cease-fire expired at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Israeli and Palestinian officials had announced a 24-hour extension to allow the negotiations in Cairo to continue. | Israel has repeatedly said it will not negotiate under fire. As a five-day cease-fire expired at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Israeli and Palestinian officials had announced a 24-hour extension to allow the negotiations in Cairo to continue. |
| “Today’s rocket attack on Beersheba is a grave and direct violation of the cease-fire to which Hamas committed itself,” said Mark Regev, a spokesman for the Israeli government. “This is the 11th cease-fire that Hamas has either rejected or violated,” he said. | “Today’s rocket attack on Beersheba is a grave and direct violation of the cease-fire to which Hamas committed itself,” said Mark Regev, a spokesman for the Israeli government. “This is the 11th cease-fire that Hamas has either rejected or violated,” he said. |
| Within minutes of the first rockets landing, Israel instructed its negotiators to leave Cairo. The Palestinian delegation to the talks planned to leave on Wednesday. The Palestinian negotiators said they had given Egypt their final offer and were waiting for Israel to accept or reject it by 11:59 p.m. But Israel appeared unlikely to accept the draft, which it had rejected in the past, and the talks appeared on the verge of collapse. | Within minutes of the first rockets landing, Israel instructed its negotiators to leave Cairo. The Palestinian delegation to the talks planned to leave on Wednesday. The Palestinian negotiators said they had given Egypt their final offer and were waiting for Israel to accept or reject it by 11:59 p.m. But Israel appeared unlikely to accept the draft, which it had rejected in the past, and the talks appeared on the verge of collapse. |
| Hamas, the militant group that dominates Gaza, denied responsibility for the latest rocket fire and blamed Israel for the escalation. | Hamas, the militant group that dominates Gaza, denied responsibility for the latest rocket fire and blamed Israel for the escalation. |
| “Hamas does not have any information about the launching of any rockets from Gaza,” said Sami Abu Zuhri, a spokesman for the group in Gaza. “The Israeli occupation is aiming through this escalation in the region to abort the talks in Cairo,” he added. | “Hamas does not have any information about the launching of any rockets from Gaza,” said Sami Abu Zuhri, a spokesman for the group in Gaza. “The Israeli occupation is aiming through this escalation in the region to abort the talks in Cairo,” he added. |
| Smaller groups in Gaza may have been behind the rocket fire, with or without Hamas’s blessing. | Smaller groups in Gaza may have been behind the rocket fire, with or without Hamas’s blessing. |
| Israeli and Palestinian negotiators have engaged in indirect talks in Egypt for about two weeks in an effort to find more durable solutions to end the monthlong hostilities, in which more than 1,900 Palestinians were killed as well as 64 Israeli soldiers and three civilians, one of them a guest worker. | Israeli and Palestinian negotiators have engaged in indirect talks in Egypt for about two weeks in an effort to find more durable solutions to end the monthlong hostilities, in which more than 1,900 Palestinians were killed as well as 64 Israeli soldiers and three civilians, one of them a guest worker. |
| The resumption of fighting came as the talks in Cairo reached a critical phase. A Palestinian official with knowledge of the negotiations said that there was no possibility of reaching a comprehensive agreement, but that there had been talk of a partial agreement for gradual measures and a monthlong cease-fire, to be followed by further talks on more difficult issues for both sides. | The resumption of fighting came as the talks in Cairo reached a critical phase. A Palestinian official with knowledge of the negotiations said that there was no possibility of reaching a comprehensive agreement, but that there had been talk of a partial agreement for gradual measures and a monthlong cease-fire, to be followed by further talks on more difficult issues for both sides. |
| The initial accord was expected to allow for an easing of movement of goods through the crossings into Gaza to aid in reconstruction. Thousands of homes were destroyed in the latest fighting. | The initial accord was expected to allow for an easing of movement of goods through the crossings into Gaza to aid in reconstruction. Thousands of homes were destroyed in the latest fighting. |
| Earlier Tuesday, before the resumption of rocket fire and airstrikes, Hamas officials in Gaza had said the talks were at a stalemate. | Earlier Tuesday, before the resumption of rocket fire and airstrikes, Hamas officials in Gaza had said the talks were at a stalemate. |
| “If Netanyahu does not understand the message and the demands of Gaza through the political language of negotiations in Cairo, we know very well the way that will oblige him to understand it,” Fawzi Barhoum, a Hamas spokesman, said in a statement, referring to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel. | “If Netanyahu does not understand the message and the demands of Gaza through the political language of negotiations in Cairo, we know very well the way that will oblige him to understand it,” Fawzi Barhoum, a Hamas spokesman, said in a statement, referring to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel. |
| It has become clear to both sides that their maximal demands are not likely to be met in the foreseeable future. Hamas has demanded a complete lifting of the economic blockade on the Palestinian coastal enclave, allowing the free movement of people and goods in and out, the creation of a seaport, and the reconstruction of a long-defunct airport. Israel wants mechanisms to prevent the rearmament of Hamas and eventually, the full demilitarization of Gaza. | It has become clear to both sides that their maximal demands are not likely to be met in the foreseeable future. Hamas has demanded a complete lifting of the economic blockade on the Palestinian coastal enclave, allowing the free movement of people and goods in and out, the creation of a seaport, and the reconstruction of a long-defunct airport. Israel wants mechanisms to prevent the rearmament of Hamas and eventually, the full demilitarization of Gaza. |
| Many analysts view the goals of the two sides as irreconcilable and have suggested that the war might end without formal agreements. Hamas wants to be able to show its people a clear achievement after a month of fighting that devastated large sections of Gaza. But Israel does not want Hamas to be rewarded in any way after a war in which Gaza militants launched more than 3,300 rockets and mortar rounds against it. | Many analysts view the goals of the two sides as irreconcilable and have suggested that the war might end without formal agreements. Hamas wants to be able to show its people a clear achievement after a month of fighting that devastated large sections of Gaza. But Israel does not want Hamas to be rewarded in any way after a war in which Gaza militants launched more than 3,300 rockets and mortar rounds against it. |