Gaza ceasefire ends without long-term truce deal

GAZA - A 72-hour ceasefire in the Gaza Strip ended on Friday without reaching an agreement between Israel and Hamas-led militants in Gaza on a long-term truce.

However, Israeli Radio quoted police and army sources as saying that two rockets were fired before the deadline ended into southern Israel causing no harms or injuries. No one claimed responsibility.

Sami Abu Zuhri, Hamas spokesman in Gaza said in an e-mailed statement that his movement was not responsible for firing any rockets into Israel on Friday morning.

"The Israeli occupation claims, that rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel this morning, are aiming at creating confusion and mixing up things," said the statement.

Meanwhile, Ismail Radwan, a senior Hamas leader in Gaza said in a statement that there has been no agreement in Cairo on a permanent truce with Israel so far.

Egypt is mediating talks between Israel and Gaza militants, led by Hamas movement in Cairo on a permanent ceasefire agreement. The talks have been going on for two days, and they had so far failed in reaching an agreement.

Israel launched a large-scale air and ground operation on Gaza on July 8, killing around 1,887 Palestinians and wounding almost 10,000 others, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Meanwhile, independent Bethlehem-based Maan news agency reported that the two delegations in Cairo did not agree on a permanent ceasefire, "but Egypt guarantees another three days of calm."