JNS.org – Sirens sounded in southern Israel on Friday morning just two hours after the 72-hour humanitarian cease-fire agreed to by Israel and Hamas went into effect.

After the cease-fire collapsed and reports emerged that an Israeli soldier may have been kidnapped, heavy barrages of rockets pounded southern Israel.

A rocket fired at the Eshkol Regional Council at 10 a.m. exploded on the Gazan side of the Israel-Gaza border. Rockets were again fired, this time at Kerem Shalom, at 10:50 a.m., causing no injuries or damage, Israel Hayom reported.

On Thursday, Israel and Hamas had agreed to hold their fire for 72 hours starting at 8 a.m. Friday. Ahead of the cease-fire, Gaza terrorists barraged Israeli communities, firing rockets at the kibbutzim of Nahal Oz and Kissufim at 5 a.m., at the town of Ofakim around 6:30 a.m., and at the greater Ashdod area at 7:40 a.m. Another rocket was fired at the Eshkol Regional Council around 8 a.m.

Twenty rockets were fired from Gaza Strip at Israel over Thursday night.