Itongadol.- Rockets fell in open areas near Ashkelon at roughly 12:05 pm Monday, just two hours after Israel began observing a unilateral cease-fire. No injuries or damage were reported.
Israel began the truce at 10:00 am Monday, following a late-night decision by the Security Cabinet and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.
The seven-hour truce will last until 5:00 pm Monday, and excludes the Rafah area, where ongoing clashes have raged since Friday.
The Coordinator of Government Activities in Judea, Samaria and Gaza (COGAT), General Yoav Mordechai, announced earlier that Israel will hold its fire in most of Gaza for a seven-hour "humanitarian window" on Monday.
Mordehai also warned that "if the truce will be violated, the army will respond with fire toward the source of the fire" – which Hamas hascategorically rejected in any event.
Hamas has taken advantage of past temporary ceasefires to continue to fire rockets at Israeli citizens.
On Friday, the group violated a 72-hour ceasefire shortly after it went into effect, killing two IDF soldiers and kidnapping a third, Hadar Goldin, who was declared dead by the IDF on Saturday night.
For the moment, however, the situation appears to be quiet – for now.
"From what we understand, it has been quiet – and we are prepared for the situation that it will not stay this way," IDF Spokesman Brig.
Gen. Moti Almoz stated to Walla! News. "There are forces that remain in Gaza and are ready to take offensive action and are regrouping to continue the mission."