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Hamas, Israel continue fighting despite reports of a cease-fire

By Darryl Coote, Nicholas Sakelaris and Danielle Haynes
Israel Defense Forces attack Hamas and Islamic terrorist organization compounds within the Gaza Strip in retaliation to an earlier Hamas attack on Israel. Photo courtesy of Israel Defense Spokesman Ronen Manelis
1 of 5 | Israel Defense Forces attack Hamas and Islamic terrorist organization compounds within the Gaza Strip in retaliation to an earlier Hamas attack on Israel. Photo courtesy of Israel Defense Spokesman Ronen Manelis

March 25 (UPI) -- Despite news of a cease-fire between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, rockets continued to be launched from both sides of the conflict.

Hamas media reported Monday night that an Egypt-brokered cease-fire had been achieved with Israel after a day when both sides pelted one another with rockets.

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The Hamas- and Hezbollah-affiliated media announced the cessation of hostilities would go into effect at 10 p.m.

There was no comment on the cease-fire from Israeli officials, the Times of Israel reported.

But under an hour of that report, both sides claimed to have been attacked.

Gaza media outlets said it sustained several air strikes along the Gaza Strip while Israeli Defense Spokesman Ronen Manelis confirmed that since 10 p.m. 30 rockets were launched at Israeli, most of which fell into opens fields while the others were intercepted by the country's Iron Dome air defense system, Haaretz reported.

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In retaliation for the Hamas offensive, the Israeli army attacked 15 targets within the northern Gaza Strip, the IDF said.

It said it hit a Hamas compound and an Islamic terrorist organization compound.

Then at 3 a.m. local time Tuesday, air-raid sirens were triggered throughout southern Israel, the IDF said on Twitter.

"Air-raid sirens continue to sound across southern Israel," the Israel Defense Forces said on Twitter.

There have yet to be reports of casualties.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was in Washington, D.C., said he will "not tolerate" the rocket strike and said Israel will do "whatever we must do" to defend itself.

"As we speak," he said. "Israel is responding forcefully to this wanton aggression."

He was to leave for Israel at 2 a.m. and would go straight to the IDF headquarters after landing mid-day Tuesday.

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Fighting began Monday morning when seven people were taken to the hospital after a rocket fired from Gaza hit a home in central Israel.

The residents of the Sharon village home, including a 60-year-old woman, were taken to the hospital suffering from blast injuries, burns and shrapnel wounds, Israel's emergency medical services Magen David Adom said on Twitter.

A 6-month-old was among the injured, which also included at least three bystanders who were attempting to flee the area.

MDA said it received a call about the rocket at 5:22 a.m. and dispatched paramedics to the area. No Hamas official claimed responsibility for the rocket attack and one official said it had "no interest" in doing so.

Police said the rocket caused the building to catch fire and shrapnel caused damage to nearby buildings, the Times of Israel reported.

Israel security forces confirmed the rocket originated from Gaza.

"We can confirm that Hamas is responsible for firing a homemade rocket," Israel Defense Forces said in a tweet. "It flew a distance of 75 miles across Israel."

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The rocket triggered air-raid sirens throughout the Sharon and Emek regions, the IDF said.

Netanyahu was scheduled to give a speech Tuesday at the AIPAC policy conference but instead decided to head home.

Israel has since closed the Erez and Kerem Shalom border crossings between Israel and the Gaza Strip, which adjoins Israel and Egypt.

The attack follows weeks of escalating tensions between the militant Palestinian organization Hamas and Israel.

On March 14, two rockets were allegedly launched by mistake from the Gaza Strip toward Tel Aviv.

In retaliation, Israel hit 100 Hamas targets throughout Gaza.

Egypt is working to de-escalate tensions between the two, and a delegation was expected to arrive in Gaza Monday to negotiate an end the present fighting in exchange for benefits from Israel, Qatar and Egypt, Ynet News reported.

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