Is there a ceasefire with Hamas? Israel's foreign minister says no
Israel Katz's statement comes hours after Hamas announced Egypt had brokered a ceasefire with Israel, Al Jazeera reported.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFStreaks of light are pictured as rockets are launched from the Gaza Strip towards Israel, as seen from the Israeli side of the border March 25, 2019(photo credit: REUTERS/AMIR COHEN)
Foreign Minister Israel Katz clarified that there is no ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, in an interview on Reshet Bet radio on Tuesday morning."There is no ceasefire," Katz said in the report. "It may be possible to eliminate Hamas, but there is no real proposal to topple Hamas."IDF rocket hits Hamas building in Gaza, March 26, 2019 (Reuters)Katz's statement comes hours after Hamas announced that Egypt had brokered a ceasefire with Israel, Al Jazeera reported. Regardless of the alleged ceasefire, explosions were still heard in Gaza early Tuesday morning.Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon also denied that there was a ceasefire and urged Israel to stand behind the IDF and its operations, Army Radio reported. "I don't believe we will find solutions," Kahlon said. "I don't believe there is a ceasefire." The IDF attacked 15 targets in Gaza after being bombarded with over 60 rockets on Monday night. The latest wave of rockets caused no injuries or property damage, said Adi Meiri, spokeswoman for the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council, but some residents were treated for shock.On Monday, eight people were injured after a rocket struck and destroyed a home in central Israel. Hamas officials have said that the strike was accidental.Right-wing politicians have a history of denying ceasefires even when they actually occurred. In August after one of the largest flareups in years, Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire according to Army Radio, yet multiple members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet said otherwise.Avraham Gold contributed to this report.
