Rockets Fired From Gaza As 72-Hour Ceasefire Ends

Rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip Friday as the Hamas group ended its 72-hour cease-fire agreement with Israel.

Hamas resumed its fighting with Israel after peace talks, brokered by Egypt, hit a deadlock. A Hamas leader said in a televised statement that his Palestinian counterparts should leave the peace talks being held in Cairo if certain truce requirements, including the opening of the Gaza port, were not met. The leader, whose face was concealed by a black head scarf, added that Hamas is ready to engage in a long war to have its demands met.

"We urge the Palestinian delegation negotiating not to renew the truce except after the acceptance in principle, particularly to the port [opening], and if there is no acceptance then we ask the delegation to withdraw from talks," a member of Izz a-Din al-Kassam Brigades, Hamas' military wing, said in the statement television on the Al Jazeera network.

Israel has said that it too is prepared for a long fight if it means securing their territory from Hamas attacks, especially ones carried out via underground tunnels built by Hamas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement earlier in August that only after the tunnels are destroyed will Israel consider a possible truce agreement.

"After the tunnels are destroyed, Israel will assess further action according to our security needs and only according to our security needs," he said.

Israel and Gaza have been involved in nearly five weeks of fighting that has killed over 1,700 Palestinians and over 60 Israelis.