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The Latest: Israeli defense minister resigns over Gaza truce

Palestinians survey a destroyed residential building hit by Israeli airstrikes, in Gaza City, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)

JERUSALEM — The Latest on the cease-fire between Israel and Gaza’s Hamas rulers (all times local):

1:15 p.m.

Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman says he is resigning in protest over the cease-fire reached with Gaza militants.

Lieberman’s resignation Wednesday significantly weakens Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling coalition government and could bring about an early election.

Lieberman says the cease-fire reached with Gaza’s Hamas rulers was a “surrender to terrorism.” Lieberman has demanded a far stronger Israeli response to the most intense round of rocket fire against Israel since a 50-day war in 2014. He says he also fiercely objected to Israel’s allowing Qatar to deliver $15 million in aid to Gaza last week.

Lieberman’s resignation will go into effect in 48 hours. Netanyahu will take over on an interim basis.

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Noon

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Gaza’s militant Hamas rulers “begged for a cease-fire and they know why.”

His comments Wednesday at a memorial service for Israel’s first leader, David Ben-Gurion, were his first since the two sides ended their most intense round of fighting since a 50-day war in 2014.

Palestinian militants fired 460 rockets and mortars into Israel in a 24-hour period, while the Israeli military carried out airstrikes on 160 Gaza targets. Seven Palestinians, including five militants, were killed. In Israel, one person was killed in a rocket strike and three were critically wounded.

Netanyahu has come under heavy political pressure for not delivering a more decisive blow against Hamas. He responded that “leadership is not doing the easy thing; it is doing the right thing.”

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10:00 a.m.

The Israeli military says it has shot at and captured a Palestinian who approached the Gaza perimeter fence and hurled grenades into Israel.

Wednesday’s incident marked the first unrest since Hamas and other militant groups in Gaza accepted an Egyptian-brokered cease-fire to end two days of intense fighting with Israel that had pushed the sworn enemies to the brink of another war.

The military says it spotted the assailant with a knife and wire cutters. The grenades he hurled failed to explode.

The Israeli military says Palestinian militants fired 460 rockets and mortars into Israel in a 24-hour period, while it carried out airstrikes on 160 Gaza targets. Seven Palestinians, including five militants, were killed. In Israel, one person was killed in a rocket strike and three were critically wounded.

AP

14/11/2018

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