Israel strikes Gaza rocket launch site, ceasefire deal under strain

(Reuters)

CAIRO/DUBAI, Jan 8 – Israel’s military said on Thursday it had carried out a targeted strike on a rocket launch site near Gaza City after identifying a failed launch, as questions mount over when the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire will begin.

The military said the projectile did not cross into Israeli territory and that the launch site was struck shortly after the attempt was detected.

It accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire twice in the past 24 hours. A source from the Palestinian militant group told Reuters it was checking the allegation.

Further highlighting the fragility of the ceasefire deal, local Palestinian health authorities said two people, a woman and a boy, had been injured on Thursday in two separate shooting incidents by Israeli forces in southern and northern Gaza.

There was no immediate Israeli comment on the report.

Israel is awaiting the handover of the final body due under the current stage of the truce. An Israeli official close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel will not move to the next phase of the ceasefire until Hamas returns the remains of the last Israeli hostage still held in Gaza.

Israel has yet to open the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, which is another condition of the U.S.-backed plan, saying it will only do so once the remains are returned.