Hamas extends cease-fire

Hamas said it would extend a 72-hour truce that was due to end at 2100 UTC on Wednesday by five days.

Hamas senior leader Ezzat al-Rishq said on his Twitter account that an agreement has been reached, while consultations continue on a longer-term cease-fire.

Israeli officials had no immediate comment on the extension.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military said that at least two rockets rocket fired from Gaza landed in Gaza, just hours before the expiry of the cease-fire.

Police said a rocket - the first to be fired since the cease-fire came into effect on Monday - had landed in an open area, causing no damage or injuries.

However, according to the Reuters news agency, Hamas denied firing any rocket.

Meanwhile, news has emerged that a child was killed and two others wounded when a rocket landed across the border in Egypt, in a settlement to the south of Rafah. A 13-year-old was said to have died, while her eight-year-old brother and two-year-old sister were believed to have sustained serious injuries.

With the truce drawing to a close, talks mediated by Egypt in Cairo looked to be floundering with both sides sticking to their demands. The initial 72-hour cease-fire was intended to provide time for the sides to agree on a longer-lasting truce.

Hamas is demanding an end to a blockade imposed by both Israel and Egypt in 2007, limiting the movement of people and goods into and out of the tiny coastal strip. Israel, which is wary of making any concession that Hamas could declare as a victory, says the restrictions are in place to prevent the smuggling of weapons and other materials deemed illicit.

rc/hc (AP, dpa, Reuters)