Kassam  rockets
Kassam rocketsIsrael news photo: Flash 90

A mortar shell fell in an area of the Eshkol Regional Council Thursday morning, hours after a cease fire by Gaza terror groups was supposed to come into effect. Southern Israel remained on high alert Thursday after some 80 rockets were fired on Wednesday, with residents spending the night in bomb shelters.

The rocket fell in an open area. No injuries or damage were reported.

Schools were open in the western Negev Thursday morning, although residents were told to remain on alert and in the proximity of protected areas and bomb shelters, just in case. The decision to open schools was made by the Homefront Security Ministry, after reports that a cease fire had been reached.

According to the reports, Gaza terror groups had agreed to halt rocket attacks on Israel at the behest of Hamas, which recruited Egypt to broker a deal with the terror groups. The cease fire was supposed to go into effect midnight Wednesday. Other reports, however, said that there had not been full agreement on the cease fire with some groups, and that the terrorists were reserving the right to continue attacking Israel.