Islamic militant Hamas rejected the Egyptian ceas-fire plan
July 15, 2014
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — An Egyptian truce proposal for the conflict in Gaza quickly unraveled Tuesday, after the Islamic militant Hamas rejected the plan, Gaza militants fired scores of rockets at Israel and Israel responded with more than a dozen air strikes.
The speedy resumption of violence, less than a day after Egypt presented its cease-fire plan, illustrated that it will be harder this time than in the past to negotiate an end to Israel-Hamas fighting. Israel had agreed to the Egyptian plan, proposed late Monday. Under it, a 12-hour period of de-escalation was to begin at mid-morning Tuesday. Once both sides agree to halt hostilities, they would negotiate the terms of a longer-term truce.