Gaza truce sustains for Day 3; will Israel, Hamas extend ceasefire?

Zee Media Bureau/Supriya Jha

As questions arise over deaths of civilians at the hand of Israeli military, the IDF has said in a twitter post that after four weeks, Hamas was made weaker and Israel became safer.

What did the IDF achieve in Gaza? The answer is simple: Hamas is now weaker. Israel is now safer. pic.twitter.com/R4M8SJV9Id

— IDF (@IDFSpokesperson) August 7, 2014

The injured from Gaza are being taken to hospitals in Israel and Jordan for treatment, said an AFP report.

More than 9000 have been injured in four weeks of fighting and ninety of some of the most serious cases have been evacuated through the Erez border crossing since the conflict began, the report cited an Israeli official as saying.

US President Barack has meanwhile said that Gaza can`t sustain itself for long being cut off from world.

"Long term, there has to be a recognition that Gaza cannot sustain itself permanently closed off from the world," said the US president, speaking in Washington according to the BBC.

The Israeli Defense Forces say that the Hamas has fired more than 3000 rockets towards Israel since July 8 and those rockets have been fired from

As this map shows, Hamas fired 3,356 rockets at Israel from everywhere in Gaza since July 8th. pic.twitter.com/ZvPzwwKcNO

— IDF (@IDFSpokesperson) August 7, 2014

Even as the chances of a breakthrough in Cairo talks look bleak, Saeb Erakat, a top Palestinian negotiator told CNN that they were trying very hard to sustain the current ceasefire and to further extend it to next 72 hours.

Israel too, is willing to extend the ceasefire “unconditionally”, an Israeli government official told CNN on Thursday.

Gaza witnessed peace for a third consecutive day as a 72-hour ceasefire agreed by Israel and Hamas sustained without any violation from warring sides.

However, with talks in Cairo yielding no fruitful conclusion on a longer-term ceasefire deal, question looms on what will happen after the ceasefire term ends.

Delegations from Israel and Gaza, including the Hamas, the Islamic Jihad and the Palestine Liberation Organization are in Cairo, trying to negotiate the terms of a deal, that can ensure further peace in the conflict-stricken region.

The conditions for a longer term ceasefire are precisely known as Palestinians demand ending the blockade of the territory and the opening of border crossings, while Israel would focus on demilitarisation of Gaza. 

However, Hamas may not agree to demilitarisation as a senior official told a news agency that they would "take the life of anyone who tries to take the weapons of resistance". 

The latest ceasefire, based on the Egyptian-proposed draft which came into effect at 8:00 am (local time) was discussed by Palestinian factions in Cairo on Monday. 

Also, Israeli troops withdrew completely from Gaza Strip claiming that they had destroyed all the tunnels. 

Israel says since July 8, when it launched Operation Protective Edge, Hamas has fired more than 3000 rockets at Israel. 

According to Gazan Health Ministry, nearly 1900 Palestinians were killed in 28 days of Israel`s Operation Protective Edge, which also killed 67 Israelis. 

At the heart of the recent Israel-Gaza conflict was the abduction and kidnapping of three Israeli teens followed by revenge killing of a Palestinian teenager.