There can be no doubt that the Egyptian ceasefire initiative accepted by the Israeli Security Cabinet at 09:00 Tuesday, 17 Tammuz, is indeed a unilateral entity. Since that time there have been waves of rockets to southern Israeli population centers. Over ten rockets have been fired and there have been direct hits to homes. Residents have been treated for hysteria. B’chasdei Hashem there have not been any fatalities or serious injuries.

Hamas’ military wing insists no one has spoken with its leaders to address a ceasefire and there will be no ceasefire until it agrees to it. As this report is being written sirens are sounding in the Eshkol Regional Council once again.

It should be pointed out that Hamas’ military wing is ignoring the terror organization’s leaders, the so-called political faction, and Hamas is not in favor of accepting any initiative that will boost the political popularity of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in the international arena. El-Sisi views Hamas as an enemy today for its role in promoting the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. The new Egyptian leader is not going to be as tenacious in his efforts to compel Hamas to accept a ceasefire, for in actuality; Cairo would prefer seeing the Hamas leadership in Gaza take an additional beating from the IDF.

Israel is abiding by the ceasefire at this time as US Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to oversee efforts from Cairo today. B”H it is reported there were no fatalities or injuries in the last ceasefire violation directed at the Eshkol Regional Council.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu made the following statement at the start of his meeting with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, which coincided with the beginning of the unilateral ceasefire:

“Foreign Minister Steinmeier, welcome. You’re a great friend of Israel and an important statesman of Europe and the world and I appreciate deeply the fact that you are coming here at this particular time and this particular date. As you know, Israel has accepted the Egyptian ceasefire proposal, a goal that was and remains putting an end to rocket fire from Gaza on our cities, providing the citizens of Israel with the peace and quiet to which they are entitled. I know that you know that no country would sit idly by while its civilian population is subjected to terrorist rocket fire. Israel is no exception. If Hamas rejects the Egyptian proposal, and the rocket fire from Gaza does not cease, and that appears to be the case now, we are prepared to continue and intensify our operation to protect our people. For this we have kept full support from the responsible members of the international community. I want to thank the many world leaders including yourself who unequivocally condemn Hamas for the rocket fire on Israeli cities and for the clear-cut support for Israel’s right to self-defense. So, in that spirit of friendship, welcome to Israel, welcome to Tel Aviv.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)