The Israeli army said on Sunday it is resuming its raids on Gaza by land, sea and air after Hamas continued firing rockets, ending a unilateral 12-hour humanitarian truce.
"Following Hamas' incessant rocket fire throughout the humanitarian window, which was agreed upon for the welfare of the civilian population in Gaza, the IDF will now resume its aerial, naval and ground activity in the Gaza Strip," an army statement said.
"Due to flagrant violations of humanitarian remission by Hamas, the IDF is now resuming offensive activities," army spokesman Peter Lerner wrote on Twitter.
Three Palestinians were killed in shelling on Sunday, medics said.
Emergency services spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said two men were killed in shelling near the border in central Gaza, while a third was killed near Khan Yunis in the south.
Israel's cabinet "approved the UN request regarding a humanitarian ceasefire to run until midnight (2100 GMT) Sunday", an Israeli government official told AFP on condition of anonymity late on Saturday.
However Hamas responded in a statement that "no humanitarian ceasefire is valid without Israeli tanks withdrawing from the Gaza Strip and without residents being able to return to their homes and ambulances carrying bodies being able to freely move around in Gaza".
Israeli soldiers of the 155mm artillery cannons unit fire towards the Gaza Strip from their position near Israel's border with the coastal Palestinian enclave. (AFP photo)
Late Saturday the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, claimed responsibility for rocket attacks on southern Israel and Tel Aviv immediately after the expiry of an initial 12-hour ceasefire both sides had abided by.
The attacks, which set air-raid sirens wailing throughout the country, were confirmed by the Israeli army.
Overall about 20 rockets were fired at southern Israel between late Saturday and Sunday morning.
The Iron Dome missile interception defences knocked some rockets out of the sky, and no casualties were reported.
Israeli artillery responded by opening fire in the Rafah area in the southern Gaza Strip, on positions from where the rockets were launched, an army spokeswoman told AFP.
"Following Hamas' incessant rocket fire throughout the humanitarian window, which was agreed upon for the welfare of the civilian population in Gaza, the IDF will now resume its aerial, naval and ground activity in the Gaza Strip," an army statement said.
"Due to flagrant violations of humanitarian remission by Hamas, the IDF is now resuming offensive activities," army spokesman Peter Lerner wrote on Twitter.
Three Palestinians were killed in shelling on Sunday, medics said.
Emergency services spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said two men were killed in shelling near the border in central Gaza, while a third was killed near Khan Yunis in the south.
However Hamas responded in a statement that "no humanitarian ceasefire is valid without Israeli tanks withdrawing from the Gaza Strip and without residents being able to return to their homes and ambulances carrying bodies being able to freely move around in Gaza".
Israeli soldiers of the 155mm artillery cannons unit fire towards the Gaza Strip from their position near Israel's border with the coastal Palestinian enclave. (AFP photo)
Late Saturday the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, claimed responsibility for rocket attacks on southern Israel and Tel Aviv immediately after the expiry of an initial 12-hour ceasefire both sides had abided by.
The attacks, which set air-raid sirens wailing throughout the country, were confirmed by the Israeli army.
Overall about 20 rockets were fired at southern Israel between late Saturday and Sunday morning.
The Iron Dome missile interception defences knocked some rockets out of the sky, and no casualties were reported.
Israeli artillery responded by opening fire in the Rafah area in the southern Gaza Strip, on positions from where the rockets were launched, an army spokeswoman told AFP.
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