End of Operation Pillar of Cloud• Israel held fire; celebrations in Gaza; no studies in South

A cease-fire was declared last night (Wednesday) at 21:00 pm. But the rockets were fired across the South until midnight. The IDF Spokesman said the decision to hold fire: "The operation's objectives were achieved, Hamas got hit very hard."

Today there will be no school in settlements up to 40 miles from the Strip. Military and political officials agreed that the next round is only a matter of time.

IDF Spokesman Brigadier - Gen. Yoav (Poly) Mordechai said that "the IDF stopped shooting at Gaza and will open fire only if there is danger to its forces." However, after 21:00 sirens were sounded in Eshkol, Sderot and Sha'ar Hanegev.

At a press conference in Jerusalem, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that "they assumed we will avoid strong action against them, but they were wrong.

"We hit the senior commanders of the terrorist organizations, destroyed thousands of rockets aimed at the South and most of the rockets aimed at the center, and destroyed Hamas control facilities. All this was done with strong support from the international community's leading factors."

Netanyahu thanked President Obama for his unwavering support for action to protect Israel, and expressed appreciation to Secretary Hillary Clinton on Egypt's efforts to reach a cease-fire.

"One has to give an opportunity to the agreement and allow the citizens of Israel to return to normal," he added, "Israel can not sit back with our enemy's weapons buildup of terror. I agreed with Obama that we will act together against terror smuggling, weapons almost all of which comes from Iran. "

Defense Minister Ehud Barak said that the operation's objectives were achieved in full. "Hamas and Islamic Jihad have received a painful blow: Jabari and scores of activists and senior commanders were killed," he added.

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said that "all the talk of international isolation and poor communication with the United States are legends."

• Amud Anan: special channel • reports, pictures and video

Results of the survey conducted by the integrated Millward Brown Institute, and published on Channel 2, shows that the vast majority of the Israeli public opposes a truce with Hamas. 64% believe that the understandings will hold for a short time only.

Just before the cease-fire, shooting continued on the south. A barrage of rockets was fired at 21:00 exactly at the local council of Eshkol. A heavy barrage was fired at all the cities of the South. There was one slight casualty in Netivot. Five rockets were fired at Beersheba. A direct hit at a house caused damage only.

Palestinian organizations in Gaza held a celebration of the end of Operation "Pillar of Cloud". They claim they had won. Many took to the streets, fired in the air and handed out candy. In mosques at 21:00 calls of "victory" were heard. There were also celebrations in the West Bank.

• Shooting on Israel mortally wounded soldier

Despite the ceasefire firing continued on southern Israel, and tomorrow there will be no school in the area.

In the evening, three rockets landed in open areas in the Ashkelon Coast Council. Another rocket landed in the Sha'ar Hanegev council.

At around 16:40 a rocket fired from Gaza at Eshkol Regional Council area had a direct hit on a kibbutz. Six people were injured, including four soldiers. One soldier was critically wounded, one moderately and the rest lightly.

Two of the injured were evacuated by helicopter and the others by ambulance to the Soroka Medical Center in Beer Sheva.

For the first time since the operation began, rockets were also fired at the Beit Shemesh area – and fell in open areas.

In the afternoon a barrage was fired at Beersheba. One rocket was intercepted, and the rest fell in open areas. There were no casualties and no damage was reported.

Two rockets fell in open areas in Bnei Shimon Regional Council and Yoav Regional Council. There were no casualties and no damage was reported (Yanir Yagna).

In the morning rockets were fired at Sderot, Kiryat Malachi and Be'er Tuvia. There was a direct hit at a home in Be'er Tuvia Regional Council. The house was on fire. Firefighters are working on the scene. So far, no injuries were reported. The home owner stayed in the safe room and was not hurt.

Overall, since the early morning, over 90 rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory, 41 rockets exploded in open areas, one rocket directly hit the building.

In addition, the Iron Dome system intercepted 20 rockets which were supposed to explode populated areas, and thereby the number of interceptions since the operation began went up to 420.,

Gaza attacks • More than 30 terrorists were killed

Even today – the 8th day of Operation Pillar of Cloud – the Air Force continued with a massive wave of strikes and pounding throughout the Gaza Strip, in an attempt to pressure Hamas to respond to Israel's demands.

The Air Force continued to attack in the Gaza Strip. According to recent reports, the bombing killed one person and another eight were wounded.

The IDF attacked a building used as the Islamic Jihad's war room in which seniors of the long-range rocket array of the organization were present.

Throughout the day, more than 120 terror infrastructure in the Gaza Strip were attacked. Among the targets attacked was the home of Issam Dalis, advisor to Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, the soccer stadium al-Yarmuk in Gaza City was bombed, as well as a mosque in Jabaliya in northern Gaza. Also bombed was the Gaza City Hall which was damaged. In the afternoon, the IDF attacked the southern Gaza Strip three Hamas militants who were firing at Israel. A hit was identified.

More attacked: The floor of Military intelligence of the terrorist organization Hamas, Homeland Security office, a central police compound, and a hiding military apartment in southern Gaza Strip which constituted a military communications center and a meeting place for senior terrorist operatives.

IDF strike in the Gaza Strip today:

In addition, Air Force aircraft attacked a senior in the array of air attack of the terrorist organization Hamas, a terrorist who was identified from the launch point to Jerusalem yesterday afternoon, and several other terrorist groups who were engaged in terrorist activities. Also, during the night the navy attacked a launch location, an outpost and structure used for terrorist activities of Hamas.

The IDF also destroyed about 50 cached launchers, tunnels of terror, a system of tunnels in which fuel designed for Hamas activity is transferred, three weapons depots and weapons manufacturing site.

IDF spokesman, Brigadier General Yoav Mordechai, discussed events in the Gaza Strip: "Over the last day we increased the attack of rocket launchers and missiles. Only in recent hours three squads which were on their way to launch, or fired rockets into Israel, have been destroyed it means we put into."

Referring to the IDF's military operations he said: "Gaza residents woke up this morning to a completely different reality, where many government buildings are destroyed, smuggling tunnels, especially of gas and oil, which are the main resource revenues of Hamas, are ruined and places as well as terror tunnels and launch locations."

According to the IDF Spokesman, the Israeli Air Force attacked 70 different locations in the Gaza Strip. The objectives of the attacks were symbols of power and infrastructure, including rocket launchers, and 30 terrorists who were before or after launching were eliminated. In the Sjiah area in the northern Gaza Strip, in southern Gaza , the Absan area, and in central Gaza Strip. "Among others, the ground of Hamas's military intelligence was attacked, located in the center of communications, Office of Homeland Security and the police compound. In the realm of locating launchers a significant improvement was achieved and tonight, from midnight to early morning, 60 rocket launchers and cached rockets were attacked. Also attacked were 30 tunnels used for smuggling and assault, including military security structures." He added that, "Hamas activists thought they are heading for a ceasefire, and so dozens of rockets were fired in large barrages, and then there was a pause."

Air Force planes also bombed building last used by AP, AFP and al Jazeera in Gaza, as reported by the French agency. No injuries were reported in the attacks.

According to reports, the night before 30 people were killed in Gaza. This raised the death toll since the beginning of the Operation in Gaza, reportedly to 139 Palestinians killed and 950 injured.

• Ceasefire: "paper ladder for defeated"

Today was devoted to summarize the truce declared during the evening.

Egyptian Foreign Ministry issued the text of the understanding that Israel will cease all attacks in the Gaza Strip by land, sea and air, and in this context no implemented incursions into Palestinian and targeted killings will be performed. Palestinian organizations will stop all attacks from the Gaza Strip towards Israel, including rocket fire and attacks along the border.

The understandings further provides that within 24 hours after the cease-fire went into effect, discussions on the opening of border crossings will begin, facilitating the movement of people and goods in and facilitating the movement of Palestinians near the Gaza perimeter fence. It was agreed that each party could raise other issues for discussion, each Party shall undertake not to violate the understandings after the ceasefire.

"Egypt emphasizes its historical commitment to the Palestinian interest and a just and comprehensive solution," Amaro said, "it will continue its efforts to achieve the goal through diplomatic activity to end the split on the Palestinian side." Clinton said that "This is a critical moment for the area. Egypt's new government is an important cornerstone of stability in the region. Peoples of the region deserve the opportunity, and now we have to focus."

Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke by telephone with U.S. President Barack Obama and accepted his recommendation to give a chance to the Egyptian proposal for a ceasefire, according to the Prime Minister's bureau. Netanyahu's office said that Israel wants to give the opportunity to stabilize the situation and its relaxation before it will be necessary to run more powerful means.

AP agency reported that as part of the understandings, Israel would stop military operations against Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza, and activists in the Strip will not launch missiles at Israel. After 24 hours of relaxation crossings between Israel and Gaza will be open to movement of people and goods.

The Nonet convened at noon in the "Kirya" in Tel Aviv to discuss the details of the cease-fire agreement, with only two ministers opposing it resolutely: Interior Minister Eli Yishai and Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz.

The Right strongly opposes the cease-fire, and claim that it will be a boost to terrorism, and that Hamas will be strengthened and rehabilitated again to fire the next round. South mayors also announced that they would not agree to a cease-fire that would bring about a further round of shooting.

In private conversations, Defense Minister Ehud Barak called the memorandum of understanding, a "paper ladder for defeated", designed to allow Hamas to return home and explain what happened in Gaza last week." According to political sources in Jerusalem, in the formulation of the paper, Hamas delayed over little details and insisted on each letter in an attempt to extort achievements viewable to the Palestinian public.

About 100 people demonstrated in the city square in Beersheba and Ashdod to protest the anticipated ceasefire. The demonstrators called on the Prime Minister not to sign the ceasefire agreement, and said they were ready for prolonged sitting in shelters.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who arrived in Cairo after a visit to Israel, said that the attack on a bus in Tel Aviv highlights the need for an immediate ceasefire.

• Studies in Rishon Lezion were partial today following the last missile explosion in one of the buildings in the city.

• Property Tax teams work since the start of Operation 'Pillar of Cloud' in southern settlements with reinforcements for damages from injuries of rockets. 50 teams of employees and assessors are scattered throughout the affected areas and give an initial response to citizens. There is also response at the center of property tax in the South, Phone 08-6623300.

As for the morning hours, according to the evaluation, since the beginning of Operation Pillar of Cloud, there are approximately 1,240 cases of damage to property - buildings, vehicles and agriculture. In 80% of cases claims have already been filed and are handled.

• At a night meeting held by Police Commissioner Commander Yohanan Danino and Commander of the Home Front Command Eyal Eisenberg, it was decided that there is no intention to change the daily routines in the central region and Tel Aviv. It was further agreed that from 40 km north each mass event, such as a gathering of many participants, sporting events and outdoor events, the district commander will in whose district the event takes place, will convene with the district commander for shared assessment and decision-making regarding the existence of the event and the conditions for its existence.

• Dozens of workers of the BSR Towers in Ramat Gan did not come to work, after a phone call was received yesterday by Arab speakers who warned the workers do not to arrive at the place, since "it will be bombed."

• Bnei Akiva Yeshiva of Netiv Meir students took an initiative: Torah study continuously in the study hall starting from 5:00 AM to 1:00 at night. This initiative is in addition of an Ulpan class from Neve Herzog who moved to board in the yeshiva dormitory in Bayit Vegan, Jerusalem.

• Palestinian from Hebron was arrested by the Border Police on suspicion of planning a terrorist attack. He was arrested after he approached policemen and evoked their suspicion. A search of his body found that he had a knife in his possession.

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