Israel accepted the Egyptian proposal for a ceasefire that began on the 15th of July, 09:00 Israel time. Israel accepted the ceasefire in order to allow for sustained quiet to be achieved diplomatically.
Unfortunately, Hamas and other terror organizations in Gaza had rejected the efforts by Egypt and the Arab League completely and continued to fire rockets on Israeli cities. Announcements and declarations by officials of the extreme movement strongly objected the cease fire and called to continue the attacks on Israel.
After hours in which Hamas fired 47 rockets, Israel was compelled to react and to attack the sources of rockets in order to prevent Hamas from continue its terrorist actions.
Israel is still committed to the diplomatic process with Egypt to bring upon a sustainable cease fire. Israel shares the international community's desire to restore calm. It also shares an interest with other moderate forces in the region in promoting stability. Israel's decision to accept the ceasefire proposal strengthens the already existing international support for Israel's right of self-defense in the face of Hamas' aggression.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad Reject Ceasefire:
Hamas Spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri on Tuesday morning said that "the retaliations of the resistance will continue until we achieve all the demands of our people, and any unilateral Israeli cease-fire would be worthless".
Hamas's armed wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, rejected the reported text of the deal announced by Egypt, Gaza's neighbor, saying: "Our battle with the enemy continues and will increase in ferocity and intensity."
Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza, repeated its position that demands it has made must be met before it lays down its weapons.
The armed wing of the Palestinian group Hamas has rejected an Egyptian-proposed ceasefire in the Gaza conflict, according to its official website.
The Qassam Brigades said on Tuesday that it was an initiative of "bowing and submission", and added "it was not worth the ink it was written with".
"It is not acceptable to start observing a ceasefire for short term then negotiate the terms. We have experienced this in the past and it has failed," Khaled al-Batch, a senior leader of the Islamic Jihad armed group, said
Egyptian Official TV (15 July)
Hamas representative Mushir Al-Masri said that the on-going fighting is what matters, and added that it's a pity Cairo finds itself in such an embarrassing position. He then argued that this initiative is a "free service given to the Zionists…we are waging this battle in order to gain achievements and not to accept shameful conditions"
Additional PIJ Statement (15 July)
Islamic Jihad spokesman Yussef Al-Hassaina acknowledged that the organization had officially received the Egyptian proposal and was studying it. "There will be no cease-fire unless the agreement includes all our demands… until a decision is reached the fighting will go on".
Photo: Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs