ISRAEL again rained down missiles on the embattled Gaza Strip today after alleging that three Hamas rockets hit open areas near Be’er Sheva in southern Israel.

There were no immediate reports of any deaths on either side, though Gaza’s Health Ministry said two children had been injured in Israel’s latest distorted retaliation.

Hamas immediately denied having broken the temporary truce, which had been due to expire last night after a 24-hour extension on Monday.

“We don’t have any information about rockets fired from Gaza. The Israeli raids are intended to abort the negotiations in Cairo,” Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said.

Mr Abu Zuhri added: “Israel’s foot-dragging proves it has no will to reach a truce deal.”

That chimed with comments from Israeli Economy Minister Naftali Bennett, leader of the far-right Jewish Home Party, who said: “When you want to beat a terror organisation, you defeat it. When you hold negotiations with a terror organisation, you get more terror.”

He accused Hamas of using rocket attacks as part of its negotiations. But Israel quickly announced it was bringing its team back from the Egypt-mediated negotiations in Cairo. The talks had reconvened yesterday trying to bring an end to Israel’s month-long slaughter in the blockaded Gaza Strip, that has led to nearly 2,000, mainly civilian, deaths in Palestine and left 67 Israelis dead — 64 of them soldiers involved in a ground invasion.

A key stumbling block has been Israel’s refusal to consider easing its eight-year blockade of Gaza through allowing for a port or airport in the territory.

The lack of cement in the strip has piled misery on ordinary Gazans following the invasion as it seriously hinders any reconstruction efforts.

Egyptian mediators suggested that discussion of that issue be postponed for a month “after calm and stability returns” along with the returning of two captured Israeli soldiers. But the Palestinian side still accused the Israelis of “obstinacy” and “playing for time.” Hamas had repeatedly warned it would reject any further extension of the ceasefire but had reportedly swung round to the proposals after meetings with Palestine Liberation Organisation officials.