40 rockets fired into Israel; Netanyahu: 'Hamas has left us no choice but to continue the strikes on Gaza'.
Israel carried out at least four air strikes against Gaza on Tuesday afternoon, resuming raids after a truce that failed to get off the ground.
The raids came shortly after Israel's army announced it was ending a ceasefire it had observed since 0600 GMT under the terms of an Egyptian truce proposal.
Hamas had effectively rejected the proposal, saying it was not consulted and would not halt fire without a broad deal that included concessions it has sought.
"Hamas has fired 47 rockets since we suspended our strikes in Gaza at 0900 am. As a result, we have resumed our operation against Hamas," the army said on its official Twitter account.
"Following six hours of indiscriminate rocket fire at Israel, the IDF (army) has resumed operational activities against Hamas," military spokesman Lieutenant Peter Lerner said on his Twitter account.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior Israeli official told AFP that the military had been ordered to "act forcefully".
As Operation Protective Edge entered its eighth day Tuesday, Hamas fired dozens of rockets toward Israel, one reaching as far north as the city of Haifa, where it was intercepted. The rocket volley followed a decision by Israel's Security Cabinet to accept an Egyptian proposal for a ceasefire with Hamas to end eight days of fighting.
Over night, Israel attacked 25 targets in Gaza, fewer than the number on previous nights. The targets included launch sites and the home of the head of the Hamas military wing, Marwan Issa, who is in hiding along with other top officials of the organization.
Some 186 Palestinians have been killed in more than 1,600 Israeli attacks since the start of Operation Protective Edge, more than 900 rockets have been launched at Israel. Some 550 Israelis have been treated for shock following rocket attacks.
Courtesy: Moshe Ben-ZikriLatest Developments:
17:13 GMT: 73% of Israelis oppose a ceasefire with Hamas, Israeli Channel 10's poll shows.
17:09 GMT: Israeli Prime Minister: "It would have been better to solve this crisis politically but Hamas has left us no choice but to continue the strikes on Gaza." Speaking ahead of a Security Cabinet meeting he added: ""Hamas will pay the price for the decision to continue the escalation. We will continue striking Hamas until we restore quiet to the civilians of Israel."
16:39 GMT. First Israeli fatality from rocket fire in Operation Protective Edge: A man critically injured from shrapnel at Erez border crossing dies at Barzilay hospital in Ashkelon. According to reports, he was a citizen who came to visit soldiers stationed at the crossing.
16:25 GMT. Two houses in Ashkelon sustain damage from rocket fire; Hamas, Islamic Jihad take joint responsibility for firing of four rockets to Tel Aviv.
16:10 GMT. Heaviest barrage yet of rockets fired simultaneously on Israel during Operation Protective Edge. Reports indicate circa 40 rockets; one critically injured at Erez Crossing on the Israel-Gaza Border, paramedics are attempting to resuscitate him on site.
14:34 GMT. Islamic Jihad announces it rejects the Egyptian ceasefire proposal. "We appreciate the effort to stop the aggression against our people but the initiative does not meet our people's needs and our demands," its statement says. "The military wing,along with all the other factions, will continue its attempts to protect our people," it adds.
13:38 GMT. Three killed, 10 injured reported in Gaza following latest bombing by Israeli Air Force.
13:23 GMT. Israeli foreign minister calls on the world Tuesday to support Israel in its operation in Gaza. "A ceasefire would give Hamas a chance to rearm," Avigdor Lieberman says during a press conference in the Knesset, adding, "The Israeli army should take over the Gaza Strip."
13:04 GMT. Four rockets land in open areas in Eshkol Regional Council. No injuries. Since Tuesday morning, more than 40 rockets were fired into Israel.
12:17 GMT. Israeli Air Force renews bombings of Gaza in response to renewed rocket attacks, IDF Southern Command chief Sami Tourjeman confirms to Israeli website Walla!.
11:50 GMT. Islamic Jihad Gaza spokesperson: "We officially accepted overnight the Egyptian ceasefire initiative, despite certain caveats... we are consulting our brothers in Hamas, and will come to a joint decision that we will pass on to Egypt... until such a decision is reached, we will continue fighting."
11:09 GMT. Israeli security official cited by Reshet B radio station that during Operation Protective Edge, the Israeli army destroyed 3,000 rockets out of 9,000 rockets comprising Hamas' arsenal, hit half of the manufacturing sites and destroyed most of its' command centers.
10:55 GMT. Hamas reports via its official website that an Israeli Air Force unmanned aircraft bombed three targets east of Gaza City; Israel denies the report.
09:50 GMT. Barrage of rockets fired from Gaza towards northern Israel; alarms sound throughout the region, five rockets intercepted, one over Haifa.
09:07 GMT. Rocket fired from Gaza lands in southern city of Ashdod; damage to property, none wounded, several in shock.
06:00 GMT. Israel's security cabinet decides to accept Egyptian cease-fire proposal
05:53 GMT. Iron Dome intercepts two rockets over the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council
01: 02 GMT: Arab foreign ministers in Cairo on Monday called on "all parties" to accept an Egyptian proposal to end the raging conflict .
00:23 GMT: US President Barack Obama welcomed Egypt's proposal, saying he hoped it could restore calm.
22:04 GMT: Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri Hamas spokesperson denies receiving any ceasefire initiative, says group won't agree to ceasefire before achieving a truce that will include a larger agreement.
