An Israeli spokesman said Friday that Israel will not negotiate with Palestinian factions while rocket fire from the Gaza Strip continues.
"Israel will not negotiate under fire," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's spokesman Ofir Gendelman wrote on his Twitter account.
"Israel will act to protect its citizens while making every effort not to harm civilians in Gaza," he said.
The spokesman accused Palestinian faction Hamas of violating an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
"Hamas broke the ceasefire & bears responsibility to any harm that may be caused to Gazans," he said, going on to say that Israel had notified Egypt that it was ready to extend the ceasefire for 72 hours before Hamas broke the truce.
Violence flared in the Palestinian territories on Friday following the end of a three-day ceasefire between Israel and Gaza-based Palestinian factions.
The ceasefire was brokered by Egypt following a month of incessant Israeli strikes against the Gaza Strip that left 1894 Palestinians dead and 9806 others injured. The attacks have also turned thousands of Gaza's buildings into rubble.
Palestinian factions and Israel held indirect talks in Cairo to extend the ceasefire, but no agreement was reached as Palestinian factions linked the extension to Israel's approval of their conditions, including lifting a years-long blockade on the Gaza Strip and the creation of a seaport.
The Gaza Strip, home to 1.8 million Palestinians, has been reeling under a crippling Israeli blockade since 2006, badly affecting the livelihood in the seaside enclave.
By Abdel-Raouf Arnaout
englishnews@aa.com.tr
http://www.aa.com.tr/en
