DHAKA: Israel late Saturday authorized an extension of the humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza for another 24 hours at the request of the United Nations, Israeli officials told CNN.
But Hamas rejected a cease-fire extension, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said.
"Any humanitarian cease-fire that does not include the withdrawal of the occupation soldiers from Gaza borders and allowing citizens to return to their homes and evacuate casualties is unacceptable," he said.
Prior to Hamas' rejection, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat also expressed concerns about occupation.
"I'm very, very worried," Erakat told CNN. "We are witnessing the gradual reoccupation of Gaza."
The developments came as a tenuous cease-fire both parties agreed to earlier appeared to be shattered, with at least eight militant rockets again hurtling toward Israel as diplomats pushed for a longer truce in a conflict that has killed more than 1,000 people -- mostly civilians.
The Israeli Security Cabinet late Saturday agreed to extend the cease-fire, starting at 5 p.m. ET, on the condition that Israel Defense Forces continues dismantling and destroying militant tunnels from Gaza into Israel, according to senior Israeli officials.
Lt. Col Peter Lerner, an IDF spokesman, told CNN that dozens of tunnels provided militants "easy infiltration" to carry out attacks against Israelis.
"We will do what it takes in order to stop this threat," he said. "We have to take this threat off of the table."
Senior Israeli officials said IDF would "act against any violations of the cease-fire" during this period. The Cabinet was to reconvene Sunday to discuss the continuation of the military operation, the officials said.
Israel had earlier agreed to extend the truce for four hours, but Hamas spokesman Abu Zuhri said there would be no extension.
The original cease-fire started at 8 a.m. Saturday (1 a.m. ET). The temporary truce enabled Palestinians to move medical supplies into Gaza, families to emerge from shelters and people to dig the dead from piles of rubble.
The prospect of an extension faded quickly as the IDF accused militants of exploiting the humanitarian window by firing at Israel for the second time, with three rockets hitting the Sha'ar HaNegev regional council.
Earlier Saturday, moments after the cease-fire officially ended, another three mortars were fired from Gaza and hit Israel in the Eshkol regional council. No casualties or damage were reported.
At about 4 p.m. ET, IDF said four rockets had been fired in the last hour: two were intercepted above Ashkelon, one was intercepted above the Shfela region and another came down in the Hof Ashkelon regional council.
Source: CNN
BDST: 1226 HRS, JUL 27, 2014
