Gazas Islamic Jihad Reports Egypt-Brokered Truce With Israel

Heavy Barrage of Rockets From Gaza Hits Southern Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, I want to make clear that if anyone tries to spoil our Purim holiday, we will strike back forcefully, Photographer !a"id Paul Morris#Bloomberg

March $%, &'$( Egypt mediated a truce ending two days of clashes etween Gaza Strip militants and Israel!s military" a militant leader said# $here was no immediate confirmation from Israel or Egypt# %haled el&Batch" a senior leader of the Islamic 'ihad militant group" said in a statement today that Egypt rokered a restoration of the cease&fire that ended Israel!s (ovem er )*+) offensive in the ,alestinian territory# -sked to comment on the truce report" Israeli government spokesman .ark Regev said he had nothing to add eyond Israeli ,rime .inister Ben/amin (etanyahu!s comments earlier in the day# $he Israeli leader had warned that his military would strike with 0great force1 against any attack# STORY: War, Yes? War, No? The Ukraine Standoff as Diplomatic Mashup I want to make clear that if anyone tries to spoil our ,urim holiday" we will strike ack forcefully"1 (etanyahu said in comments sent y te2t message# Israel cele rates ,urim" a festival marking the salvation of the 'ews" on .arch +3 and +4#

Egyptian officials weren!t immediately availa le for comment# $he Iranian& acked Islamic 'ihad" acked y smaller militant groups" egan firing dozens of rockets into southern Israel late yesterday" after Israel killed three of its fighters" saying they fired a mortar at Israeli forces# Israel hit ack with three dozen air strikes and volleys of artillery fire# 5ne serious in/ury was reported in Gaza and none in Israel# $he Israeli military said a out 4* rockets were fired# STORY: Oil Thieves of the Niger Delta $ensions etween Israel and Hamas&ruled Gaza had already heightened last week after Israel!s navy seized a ship it said carried dozens of rockets and mortars and 6**"*** rounds of ammunition from Iran#

,ro2y 7ar
$his is part of the ongoing clandestine war etween Iran and Israel"1 'onathan Spyer" a political scientist at the Interdisciplinary 8enter Herzliya" said y phone# 0$he ship was apprehended" the activists were killed" the alance was distur ed and the Iranians want to show they can hit ack#1 $he rocket fire at Israel was the most sustained since Israel!s (ovem er )*+) offensive in Gaza" meant to 9uell rocket and mortar fire# STORY: Get Ready for a Bloody End Game in Thailand $he shekel strengthened *#+ percent to :#63+) shekels to the dollar" the yield on the enchmark ond was unchanged at :#+; percent and the $-&)< was up *#: percent to +":4)#;; at :=)) p#m# in $el -viv# (etanyahu criticized ,alestinian ,rime .inister .ahmoud - as" who governs the 7est Bank" for condemning Israel!s strikes on Gaza instead of denouncing the rocket fire# - as later issued a denunciation# $he two sides have een trading /a s as the >#S# presses them to approve guidelines for talks on a final accord ahead of an -pril ); deadline#

Recurrent Fighting
$he all is in the Israeli court"1 said .khaimar - usada" a political scientist at the Gaza& ased al&-zhar >niversity# 0It all depends on whether Israel wants to escalate or /ust go for a tit&for&tat war as usual with Gaza militants#1 STORY: Venezuelan Protesters Resist the Lure of the Beach Foreign .inister -vigdor ?i erman said late yesterday that Israel should reassert military control over Gaza" which Israel evacuated in )**< after a :@&year occupation# Hamas has controlled the territory since it seized it in )**4 following a week of fighting with forces loyal to - as! ,alestinian -uthority# Both Hamas and Islamic 'ihad are considered terrorist organizations y the >#S#" European >nion and Israel# $o contact the reporters on this story= Gwen -ckerman in 'erusalem at gackermanA loom erg#netB Saud - u Ramadan in 'erusalem at sramadanA loom erg#net STORY: Strange Invasion: On the Ground as Russia Takes Crimea From Ukraine $o contact the editors responsi le for this story= -ndrew '# Barden at ardenA loom erg#net -my $ei el" Ben Holland ,osted y $havam