Truce ends as Israel launches air strike on Gaza

Israel launched its first air strike on the Gaza Strip Saturday, a day after the six-month-long ceasefire between the Jewish state and Hamas rulers expired, the army and Palestinians said.

An Israeli military official said the air strike targeted members of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade who were firing rockets towards Israel.

The attack came hours after two rockets fired from Gaza landed in Israel, causing no damage or injuries, the army said.

Ali Eliyan Hijazi, 25, a member of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade was killed and two others were wounded when a missile exploded in the northern town of Beit Lahiya, Palestinian medics said.

The Israeli escalation confirms the need to unify and strengthen the resistance in the face of this aggression that did not respect the truce as is evident from the ongoing Gaza blockade.

Fawzi Barhoum, Hamas spokesperson

Hamas response

Hamas spokesman, Fawzi Barhoum, Hamas told AlArabiya.net that all resistance factions should respond to Israel's airstrike.

"After the truce is over all resistance factions must resume their duty of protecting the Palestinian people and responding to any Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip," he said.

"The Israeli escalation confirms the need to unify and strengthen the resistance in the face of this aggression that did not respect the truce as is evident from the ongoing Gaza blockade," he added.

Hamas declared the end of the Egyptian-brokered ceasefire on Thursday, raising the prospect of an escalation in cross-border fighting.

Armed factions in Gaza went on alert on Friday and warned Israel not to attack the coastal enclave.

Under the truce, brokered by Egypt in June, Palestinian fighters would halt rocket fire in return for Israel gradually easing its blockade to allow in more aid into Gaza.

But the ceasefire has been eroded almost daily since early November after a deadly Israeli army raid prompted showers of largely ineffective rockets into Israel.

Asked about Russia's invitation to Hamas to reconsider the truce, Barhoum said that the international community should instead exert pressure on Israel to end the occupation and aggression against the Palestinian people, pointing out that the occupation and the blockade nullify any truce.

After the truce is over all resistance factions must resume their duty of protecting the Palestinian people and responding to any Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip

Hamas