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Fighting Resumes In Gaza, As Israeli Military Says Cease-Fire Is Over

 

It was negotiated as a three-day humanitarian cease-fire that was to start at 8 a.m. local time today.  But just hours in, fighting erupted again in Gaza.

Palestinian authorities told the AP that at least 27 people were killed in Gaza after an Israeli tank opened fire. NPR's Emily Harris reports Israel accused Hamas of continuing its rocket fire.

One Israeli official told Emily: "At this point it's clear the Palestinians violated the ceasefire in three ways. They attacked us in Gaza, they sent rockets toward Israeli cities and they fired mortar shells on the Kerem crossing."

Right before 2 p.m. local time, Peter Lerner, a spokesman for Israel Defense Forces, said the cease-fire was over.

With that here's what you need to know as the conflict enters its 25th day:

— An Israeli Soldier Abducted?

Lerner also tells NPR's Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson that as Israeli forces were working to decommission a tunnel, an Israeli soldier was "abducted by terrorists."

He said the IDF suspects the soldier has been kidnapped and the military is now carrying out extensive operations to locate the soldier.

"We are continuing our activities on the ground," said Lerner. "There is aircraft in the sky as we speak."

The Death Toll:

From the U.N., here's a breakdown of the death toll since the conflict started: