Israel Braces For Rockets Before Truce Runs Out

With Truce Set To End Monday Night, Israel Braces For More Rockets

The Times of Israel is liveblogging events as they unfold through Monday, August 18, the 42nd day of Operation Protective Edge. A five-day truce, which began at midnight Wednesday, is set to expire on Monday night unless Israeli and Palestinian negotiators agree to extend it, or finalize a long-term deal.

Hamas leader: Israel rejected Egyptian offer, we’re back to square one

Hamas deputy political chief Moussa Abu Marzouk reports on his Facebook page that Israel rejected the Egyptian paper by introducing amendments to it, returning negotiation “to square one.”

Abu Marzouk says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “is prisoner to domestic contradictions. He waged a ground and air offensive and lost them both.

He warns that if an agreement isn’t reached within 24 hours, “the truce may not be extended for the third time.”

Israel braces for rockets before truce runs out

The Walla news site quoted Israeli military sources late Sunday to the effect that Israel is preparing for a resumption of rocket and mortar fire from Gaza early Monday evening, even though the five-day ceasefire with Hamas is only set to end at midnight.

The projection is based on the assumption that Egypt-brokered talks with Hamas are on the verge of failure, the report said.

The sources were quoted as saying that the ceasefire won’t be broken directly by Hamas but rather by other, smaller armed factions.

Hamas, the sources said, will prefer to “turn a blind eye” to the violations of the ceasefire rather than declare that efforts at cementing a deal have failed.