TEL AVIV, August 21 /ITAR-TASS/. Operation Protective Edge in the Gaza Strip, a Palestinian coastal enclave, has not been halted and continues, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced the start of Protective Edge in Gaza against Palestinian Islamist group Hamas (Islamic Resistance Movement) militants on July 8, 2014.

For nearly six days until Tuesday afternoon, a truce was in place and indirect talks between representatives of the Jewish state and Hamas were being held in Cairo designed to reach a long-term ceasefire agreement.

The truce was disrupted after three rockets were fired from Gaza on the southern Israeli cities of Beersheba and Netivot on Tuesday afternoon. Israel resumed its strikes on targets in Gaza and recalled its delegation from Cairo immediately after the disruption.

“Hamas believes it can tire us out, but it is mistaken, the tiring war will not break Israel,” Netanyahu said. “We will eradicate Hamas and destroy its terrorist infrastructure.”

Israeli-Palestinian relations grew sour after June 12, 2014, when three Jewish teenagers were abducted in the West Bank. Later the teenagers were found killed. Israel accused Hamas militants of committing the crime.

Israelis and Palestinians have repeatedly agreed on a temporary ceasefire with Egypt’s mediation since July 8.

Over 2,000 Palestinians have been killed and about 10,000 wounded in Gaza since the start of Operation Protective Edge. A total of 64 Israeli servicemen have died in fighting in the enclave. Three civilians have been killed in rocket attacks on Israel.