Hostilities resumed in the Gaza, after a five-hour humanitarian truce on Thursday. Both Hamas and Israel denied that a ceasefire had been agreed upon.
The humanitarian truce, suggested by the UN and agreed by both Israel and Hamas, was largely observed despite an exchange of mortar fire. The Israeli military said it responded to an explosion near southern Gaza. Hamas denied IDF claims that it broke the ceasefire.
Rocket fire from Gaza and Israeli air strikes resumed after the five-hour pause in fighting. Rocket sirens in Israel sounded within minutes of the end of the truce. The Guardian reported that the first Israeli air strike were carried out within an hour.
Israeli president, Shimon Peres, issued a qualified apology for the death of four Palestinians boys killed in an Israeli raid on a beach. He said the attack was an accident but appeared to blame Palestinians for not heeding warnings issued by the Israeli air force.
Israel’s military said it repelled an attack by 13 Palestinian gunmen who tunnelled in from Gaza near an Israeli community. At least one of the gunmen was killed after Israeli aircraft bombed the group, it said.
Israel’s foreign minister and Hamas have denied earlier reports of a truce deal to end fighting in Gaza between Israel and Palestinian militants, the BBC has reported.
Avigdor Lieberman said the reports were “as of now incorrect”, and Hamas, which controls Gaza, said talks in Egypt were ongoing.
An Israeli official earlier told the BBC that the truce was to take effect on Friday at 6am local time (03:00 GMT).
Egypt has been mediating in negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
Earlier reports said a new truce deal had been agreed by Israeli negotiators but that it had not yet been approved by the Israeli cabinet.
However, Hamas spokesman in Gaza, Sami Abu Zuhri, told Agence France-Presse: “The news about a ceasefire is incorrect. There are continuing efforts but no agreement until now.”
Lieberman told Israeli media: “The reports of a ceasefire are far from representing reality. I spoke with the prime minister, and as of now they are incorrect.”
The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has warned that Hamas “shut the door to a diplomatic solution” to the crisis in Gaza as his government was set to authorise the call-up of another 8,000 reserve soldiers in the escalating conflict.