False Alarm: Fragile Truce Holds

Reports of mortar fire from Gaza were a “false alarm”, says Israel as the fragile ceasefire between the Jewish state and Palestinian militant groups enters its third day.

The Israeli army said a malfunction of its rocket warning system led to the false report.

It comes as UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon visits Gaza and Israel today, three days into the truce which ended three weeks of bloodshed.

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Israel is continuing to pull its troops out of Gaza and plans to complete the withdrawl by the time Barack Obama is sworn in as US president this afternoon.

Mr Ban will be the highest-ranking international figure to visit Gaza since the halt in the fighting on Sunday.

• A d v e r t i s e m e n t

First Israel, then the militant group Hamas declared ceasefires, which have so far held up.

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