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JERUSALEM, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- A few more rockets struck inside Israel Monday evening despite a Hamas-declared cease-fire, police said. Police said one Qassam rocket exploded in an open area in the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council. Two other rockets hit south of Ashkelon earlier in the evening, with one igniting a fire near a kibbutz, The Jerusalem Post reported.
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The attacks ended an 8-hour period of calm, the Post said.
A spokesman for the Popular Resistance Committee in Gaza had said earlier in the day that while the organization doesn't recognize the cease-fire it would temporarily abide by it and temporarily halt rocket attacks on Israel, the Israeli newspaper Maariv reported.
A dozen rockets were fired at Israel Sunday night and early Monday after Hamas announced the cease-fire, Haaretz said.
Israel has denied it is a partner to any cease-fire agreement.
"We do not sign agreements with Hamas, not directly or indirectly, "an unnamed official in the prime minister's office told Army Radio Monday.
"Israel is following the implementation of the cease-fire. If they continue shooting we will respond accordingly," he said.
The PRC's announcement came hours after Hamas officials Sunday night said a cease-fire with Israel had been reached with the aid of Egyptian mediation.
"Hamas is keen on maintaining the period of calm that has prevailed in the Gaza Strip in the past few months," the Post quoted an unnamed Hamas official as saying.
The official said Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh urged the head of Egypt's General Intelligence Force to secure a cease-fire with Israel, the English language daily said. After intensive talks with the different Palestinian groups in Gaza, Egyptian authorities informed Hamas leaders that a cease-fire agreement would go into effect.
Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system intercepted some of the earlier incoming Qassam rockets and others exploded, causing damage but no injuries.
Israel Radio said many Hamas leaders had gone into hiding, fearing they would be targeted by Israel.
