The truce expired at 7am (4pm) Friday. The halt in fighting began a week ago, on November 24. It initially lasted for four days, and then was extended for several days with the help of Qatar and fellow mediator Egypt.<\/p>\n
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Palestinian citizens inspect the effects of destruction caused by air strikes on their homes.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n In the hour before the truce was set to end, Israel said it intercepted a rocket fired from Gaza and Hamas-affiliated media reported sounds of explosions and gunfire in the Palestinian enclave.<\/p>\n During the week-long truce, Hamas and other militants in Gaza released more than 100 hostages, most of them Israelis, in return for 240 Palestinians freed from prisons in Israel.<\/p>\n Virtually all of those freed were women and children, but the fact that few such hostages remained in Gaza complicated reaching a deal for a further extension.<\/p>\n Hamas, a militant group that has ruled Gaza for 16 years, had also been expected to set a higher price for the remaining hostages, especially Israeli soldiers. About 140 hostages remain in Gaza, with more than 100 having been freed as part of the truce.<\/p>\n Qatar and Egypt, which have played a key role as mediators had sought to prolong the truce by another two days.<\/p>\n