Israel, Gaza militants resume attacks despite Egyptian-brokered cease-fire

Israel and militants in the Gaza Strip resumed mutual attacks early on Tuesday, just hours after an Eyptian-brokered cease-fire came into effect, local media reported.

On Monday night, Fawzi Barhoum, spokesman of the Islamic Hamas movement said in a short text message that Egypt's mediation efforts succeeded in brokering a cease-fire with Israel.

The Joint Chamber of Operations in Gaza, headed by Hamas, also affirmed in a short text message its commitment to the Egyptian-sponsored cease-fire.

"We announce our commitment to calmness as long as the occupation is committed to it," it said.

Photo taken on March 25, 2019 shows flame and smoke above buildings following an Israeli air strike in Gaza City. (Xinhua/Stringer)

However, sirens were turned on after midnight when a barrage of rockets were fired from Gaza into southern Israel, and intercepted by Israeli army's Iron Dome anti-rocket system.

Israeli drones and warplanes fired back at military targets in the Gaza Strip.

Al-Jazeera Satellite Television quoted sources as saying the conditions Israel set for the cease-fire include ending the anti-Israel weekly March of Return rally in eastern Gaza close to the border with Israel.

Israel also wants Hamas to stop the release of fire balloons, the night confusion units and the weekly rallies close to the maritime border between the northern Gaza Strip and Israel, according to al-Jazeera.

The Israeli cabinet earlier decided to strike military facilities and compounds that belong to Hamas and other militant groups in the Gaza Strip in response to an earlier rocket attack on central Israel that wounded seven Israelis.

During the Israeli airstrikes, the headquarters of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh was completely destroyed in addition to two security buildings.