Israel-Hamas truce falters

Israel struck Gaza on Tuesday afternoon, saying the attacks had been authorized after Hamas rocket fire earlier in the day.

"Hamas has fired 47 rockets since we suspended our strikes in Gaza [this morning]. As a result, we have resumed our operation against Hamas," the Israeli military said in a statement.

At least one Palestinian was killed in the newest Israeli airstrikes, raising the current death toll which is estimated at roughly 190 people.

It was later reported by the Israeli army that rocket fire from Gaza had also killed an Israeli civilian, Israel's first casualty since fighting broke out eight days ago.

Hamas militants reject truce

Shortly before 9 a.m. local time (0600 UTC), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had confirmed that his cabinet had accepted an Egyptian proposal for a ceasefire. The plan foresaw a "de-escalation" of fighting over the course of the day and, by 9 p.m. local time, an "unconditional acceptance" by both sides of the ceasefire.

However, Hamas' militant wing – Ezeedine al-Qassam Brigades – equated the Egyptian-brokered plan to an act of submission which they rejected "outright."

The statement vowed that rocket attacks from Gaza would "increase in ferocity and intensity."

Hamas has made a series of demands on the Israeli and Egyptian governments, including prisoner releases and an end to blockades on Gaza. The Islamist group also wants Cairo to ease restrictions on its crossing with Gaza at Rafah.

At least 186 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed in the last week of airstrikes.

Israel has mobilized tens of thousands of troops for a threatened ground invasion of the Gaza Strip, but so far no such attack seems imminent.

kms/hc (AP, AFP, Reuters)