Israel is accusing hamas of breaking the ceasefire. The ceasefire has supposedly been in business for a few hours but it does not look like a ceasefire right now. I assume diplomats and u. S. Officials and secretary of state kerry, ban kimoon and the u. N. Secretarygeneral, they were the ones who announced this ceasefire. I assume they are working feverishly to see what they can do, but as of now, chris and kate, it does not look very good. A couple of followups. When you have israel and hamas going back and forth, does that give a little bit of a distorted picture how many different entities are in play here . Could it be that you dont know who is firing on the ground if it isnt israel because there are different factions firing and creating violence on the ground, at least in gaza could, that be part of the equation, that you dont know who agreed to the ceasefire and who did not . Well, the israelis have always said and many middle east analysts have agreed that there could be a split between the political arm of hamas, the political leader of hamas in doha, qatar, may have agreed saying all the palestinian factions were on board but the military arm of hamas may not have been on board. Its not only hamas but Islamic Jihad as well. Last night when we spoke to representatives of the Palestinian Authority including the chief palestinian negotiator he spent all day yesterday with the leader of hamas saying all the palestinian factions were on board getting ready to send a joint delegation to cairo today to meet with the egyptian officials. The israelis are sending a delegation to cairo to meet with officials to work out the longer issues if this 72hour humanitarian ceasefire would be extended they have to start dealing with some of the other issues there. I dont know what the impact of the immediate fighting is going to be but clearly with rockets and mortars coming into israel, hamas accusing israel of killing 40 palestinians in rafa, the southern Border Crossing with egypt, does not lead very promising right new. Leads us to the second point. We know that almost certainly in my lifetime theres always been a need for an intermediary to bridge any kind of peace between israel and palestine, but what does it mean that it was the u. N. And the u. S. That announced this in the middle of the night . From your perspective, does that give confidence to the situation, or is it conspicuous that you didnt have israel and hamas announcing it themselves . They didnt announce it themselves. Hamas quickly put out a statement saying they accepted the israelis, took them about an hour or so before they put out a statement saying they accepted. Theres a lot of controversy as you know here in israel about accepting a ceasefire without israel supposedly finishing what their military objectives were dealing with the tunnel and rocket and missile launchers and the other military equipment that hamas has so theres controversy here in israel, but, you know, look, youve got the u. S. And u. N. , egypt, the Palestinian Authority and turkey and cat yar, a lot of others involved working with hamas and israel trying to put this 72 hour very modest initial humanitarian pause in place. One of the issues that presumably could be a problem and suspect well be hearing more about this in the course of the day, next hour or two, murky nature of what Israeli Military forces in gaza could do and what they cant do. For example, secretary of state kerry made it clears thatly troops of the u. N. Agreed can stay in place, that israeli troops would be able to engage what they called defensive action, action to protect themselves but not offensive action, so the definition of defensive and offensive, as soon as i heard that from secretary kerry in new delhi, india last night, when he made his announcement i immediately said to myself, you know what, they will have a tough time defining whats defensive and offensive and therein could lie the rupture in this ceasefire because already theres some intense military action going on as we speak. Right. I think youre even being optimistic about getting to the definitional stage because when they call on the hamas side is no occupation, you know, seems like it doesnt really matter what that define is. Lets take a look though on the other side from wolf, well be back to you in a second. To the other side of the war now in gaza with karl penhaul on the ground there. Youre on the phone. Can you hear us and what are you picking up . I can hear you. We are out on the street in gaza. About two hours into the ceasefire we headed out to the eastern border of gaza with israel. While we were on the ground there we got to a location 700 yards from the border, and from that position we could clearly see israeli tanks maneuvering in the border area, inside gaza. The israeli tanks were maneuvering and then sporadically they began to fire tank rounds into buildings and to our location. After a few minutes on the ground there, we withdrew back into the suburbs of eastern gaza. We were still about two miles from the border at that stage as we tried again to set up for a live transmission. We heard two warning shots, two warning shots ringing out from a nearby building. That we understand were hamas fighters warning us to pull out from that area. Typically they will fire two warning shots. It is clear that hamas militants are also still in place. We saw, however, no signs of them maneuvering. They appeared to be in static positions. Then as we made our way back towards gaza city we began to get news that the ceasefire may be falling apart and about four hours after the ceasefire started we observed three rockets being fired out from what appear to be central gaza off towards israel. Earlier in the day anecdotally i heard from a palestinian friend who has a home near the Border Crossing with egypt. His wife had found him urgently and her words she said the israelis were shelling in that area around rafa. That is what were also hearing now from the Palestinian Health authority. They say the shelling in Southern Gaza this morning after the supposed start of ceasefire. At least four palestinians were killed and 15 others were wounded in that shelling. All right. So, carl. Lets just reset for a second. Youre safe where you are, i assume, so ill keep you on the phone. The video were showing you is footage from Palestinian Television during a period that there was supposed to be a ceasefire. Karl, what you are saying, after the ceasefire was supposed to begin you saw tanks from israel maneuvering and saw them firing, is that accurate . Reporter that is absolutely correct. We were in a position approximately 700 yards from the border. We observed israeli tanks static initially. We then observed the israeli tanks starting to move, kicking up dust clouds, and there was sporadic gunfire from the tanks. In a space of about 20 minutes we heard at least four israeli tank rounds going into buildings approximately 300 yards from our position. Karl, were you able to hear or observe fire on the tanks that precipitated their movements and their use of artillery . Reporter no, we heard absolutely nothing to that effect. Okay. Reporter we were on the ground before the fire started. As i said, we saw the tanks static. We were probably on the ground in that location initially for 20 minutes before the tank shelling started. We heard no fire. When later, because that position for our tv crew was unsafe, we moved back to a position about two miles from the border. That is when we heard from a building two single shots were fired into the air as we tried to approach a location to film. That we understand was warning shots from hamas militants. It was not sustained gunfire, and in that second position, that was more than two miles from where we had seen the israeli tanks, but at the time that the israeli tanks opened fire we heard no sounds of small arm fire or missile fire being directed at those positions. Okay. Karl, thank you for the report. Were going to stay with you, but, please, be safe, put your guys in the right position and let us know what happens while you are there and what we were showing you is video from Palestine Television as what has been seen in gaza this morning. Obviously people still getting injured. You heard karl penhaul report that there was israeli tank fire and we also heard warning shots that there was about to be violence on the side of hamas or what he believed to be hamas fighters and militants. He heard phone reports from other people anecdotally that there was sidelines going on in rafa near the egypt border so its still very much an active situation despite whats supposed to be a ceasefire. Lets bring in the managing editor of a website focused on the world economy. Qvz. Com. When i first asked you this morning how you are, you said im depressed. Its been an especially depressing week in gaza, one of the things going on. All focus on gaza, but as you know theres been violence, unprecedented levels of violence across the world this week in places as far flung as china and cameroon and, of course, some of the more familiar places, iraq, libya. In my entire career as someone covering conflict i have never never i cant recall a week in which theres been so much violence, whether its war or terrorist attacks in so many different places around the world. Its been incredibly depressing. It is, and gives us a lot to have to handle in this business. Dealing with the immediate in front of us, probably not surprised the ceasefire didnt hold. There are clear objectives on each side that havent been met. What do you make of it . Objectives as they have defined them, as they have stated them, both states cannot win, so thats just impossible. It is distressing that the ceasefire ended so quickly. We were hoping that 12 hours, 24, just enough breathing space for some conversations. Just as i came on, i was watching my twitter feed, and there are reports both from israeli as well as lebanese news sources saying egypt has disinvited some of the hamas folks that were supposed to go over and begin negotiations. If the negotiations dont even begin, then, unfortunately, this violence, this cycle is going to continue. And part of that is the aspect is hamas real divided and whom did they disinvite and which side are they on which gets into the complicated politicpolic political nature of whats going on, but, wolf, the situation on the ground is also complicated. You heard karl penhaul saying he didnt see anybody fire on the tanks first and he was there in advance and then he watched tanks fire, but youre hearing Something Different from israel, yes . The israelis are very, very firm right now, chris. They are saying it was hamas that violated the terms of the ceasefire, that israel has been reacting to the violation by hamas. Now hamas says exactly the opposite. Israel violated the ceasefire and they are in turn reacting, and so observers will be able to go back and take a look and see whats going on, and as i said its a little murky what the israelis are allowed to do during the course of the 72hour threeday ceasefire, what they are not allowed to do. They are allowed to continue destroying the tunnels. Secretary of state john kerry made that clear, that even during these three days they can take what they call defensive action, including destroying the tunnels. The Israeli Military commander in the south, he has said the israelis are close to finishing that military mission, but they havent finished it yet, so as part of im just speculating. Maybe the israelis were going at destroying more tunnels and hamas saw that and they responded to that. The israelis are not allowed to engage in what the secretary of state and the u. N. Secretarygeneral ban kimoon have said is offensive military action, but they can engage in defensive military action. They dont have to withdraw their troops from gaza, but they have to keep their troops in place. All of that was worked out in extensive discussions over the past several days led by the secretary of state and the u. N. Secretarygeneral. It didnt last only a few hours. It was supposed to go into effect 8 00 a. M. Local time. Thats what, five hours or so ago, and we see whats going on right now. Sirens are going off in southern israel. Rockets are coming in. The israelis are attacking various targets inside gaza, so if the diplomats want to say this humanitarian ceasefire is technically still in place they can say that, but it certainly doesnt look like its in place on the ground. All right. Thank you very much, wolf. Well stay with you. I want to bring in osama handan, the spokesman for the group hamas and we want his perspective of whats going on. Can you hear us . Yes, i hear you. All right. We have reports from the ground of israeli tank fire going on after the ceasefire. Wolf blitzer reports that israel says that those tanks were fired upon and that your group, hamas, started rocket fire during the ceasefire and precipitated this defensive action. What is your response . First of all, i have to say that the ceasefire agreement was that all the troops will stay where there are now and there will be no offensive or even defensive attack. In fact, this is the first time i hear that theres a differentiation between offensive and defensive attack because it was clear there will be no firing, there will be no action from both sides, and this is what we have agreed on. The israelis started by bombing and destroying some houses in rafa. Because there was no answer, no clarification why the israelis are bombing the houses, so there was a shoot iing against the tas which move, the agreement was no one will move so there was shooting against the tanks. I want to say when they bombed the houses there was more than 20 palestinians who were killed so they did not attack militants. They attacked civilians and there was a reaction. As we informed the United Nations, they violated the ceasefire. We are still committed, but we will defend our people if they continue that. Just to be clear with what youre saying, one, youre saying that you were not aware that this ceasefire allowed defensive continued actions by israel, is that correct . No, excuse me. I want to clarify that more. We were injured clearly, in clear words, there will be no action on both side, no action. Including defensive action where israel is allowed to continue taking out tunnels, for example . No, no action. The israelis we were not informed that they were continue doing this or that. It was clear that they would stop all their offensive action and they will stop all of the moving, and troops will stay where it is, that was clear and to be clear again, did hamas fire more rockets at israel after the ceasefire was announced . Until now we did not fire any rockets from hamas side. We dont know if someone else fired rockets but from hamas up to this moment there was no rockets from 8 00 up till now. Thats part of the problem. We dont know if someone else. How many different folks no, no. Im saying i dont know if someone else because the israelis are claiming that there were rockets. Right. From our side we are sure that there was no rockets. I can assure you that we are still committed to the ceasefire just in the place where the israelis acted, we were in the defensive position. If they stop, everything will stop. For example, they acted in rafa and there was no reaction from bait from beit hanoun and jabalya. To prevent the israelis from action in rafa, thats the reaction to them bombing and killing 20 civilians, 15 civilians killed while they were checking on their houses in rafa believing there was a ceasefire by israel. Obviously, that is heartbreaking to hear that theres been more loss of innocent life on the ground there. Just to be clear about everything that youre saying to the american audience, one, you didnt know that the ceasefire included allowing israel to take defensive action and continuing maneuvering and taking out tunnels and hamas has not fired rockets but you dont know if other groups in gaza have been firing rockets that made israel respond. Is that all accurate . Yeah, thats correct. And what do you want to say in terms of continuing the ceasefire, you say hamas is still committed so that there will be no return fire on the ground there . Yes, we are still committed to the ceasefire and waiting for some clarifications from the United Nations representative about the israeli position because if the israelis decide as we hear in the media, decide to consider that there is no ceasefire this, will change the whole situation. All right. Osama hamdan, i just want to be clear again because theres an issue of what hamas controls and what it does not control and what i have been asking you, when you say someone else may have fired rocks, you have Islamic Jihad on groups and other militant groups. Are you in contact with them and do you know how they are conducting themselves in the ceasefire . We are talking to everyone on the ground to respect the ceasefire, waiting the clarifications from the United Nations, but i want to tell you that until now we dont know if really someone launched rockets. Israelis are declaring that, but from our side we are sure 100 that Nothing Happened from hamas side. Until we receive clarification from other groups i cant be sure. Okay. So it may be 100 no rockets and israelis are claiming that just to make an excuse for what they have done. To be more clear, hamas is still committed. We did not launch any rockets. We reacted against the attacks which killed 15 people when the palestinians believing there was a ceasefire f. Any Palestinian Organization launched rockets we will talk to them to stop that if that is true. Okay. Were going to give you a break here to be able to go conduct that most important work because obviously maintaining the peace is of utmost importance, especially with the news that egypt is now disinviting parts of your organization from the peace negotiation because of whats happening in violation of the ceasefire. Please, allow us i have to clarify that, if you dont mind. This is not true. We are still on the schedule at the palestinian delegation. You have not downdis been di . Lets wait to know if there was a ceasefire or not before going to cairo. For now the situation, the agenda is working as it is supposed to be. The members of the delegation are moving to cairo tonight or tomorrow. Thats good to hearings but obviously theres a lot of mixed information in this situation so do what you have to do to find out whats going on on the ground with all the different groups and hopefully continuing process of negotiation during this ceasefire which seems fragile to say the least. I would ask that you allow us to call you back because its been difficult