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Gaza crisis: Israel and Hamas agree tentative five-hour truce as Palestinians warned rocket fire will spark 'firm and decisive' reaction Gaza crisis: Israel and Hamas agree tentative five-hour truce as Palestinians warned rocket fire will spark 'firm and decisive' reaction
(about 2 hours later)
Israel and Hamas have agreed to a temporary "pause" in their battle following a bloody day in the crisis in which four Palestinian children playing on the beach were among those killed. The Israeli military claims it has thwarted an attack by 13 Gaza militants who they say sneaked into Israel through a tunnel, as a fire-hour ceasefire agreed by both sides was due to begin in order to allow Gaza residents to stock up on supplies.
Both sides have said they will abide by a five-hour "humanitarian" truce brokered by the UN. Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, a military spokesman, said the militants were identified 250 metres inside Israel and were struck by Israeli aircraft, killing at least one. He said the others are believed to have returned to Gaza through the tunnel. Neither Hamas nor other Palestinian militant groups immediately claimed any responsibility for the alleged incident.
Israel said it will stop its five-hour shelling of Gaza from 7am (GMT) – 10am local time – in order to allow Palestinians to restock food, water and other necessities. However, it said it would retaliate “firmly and decisively” if Hamas or any other militant groups launch rocket attacks during that time. Both sides have said they will abide by a five-hour "humanitarian" truce brokered by the UN, which came following a bloody day in the crisis in which four Palestinian children playing on the beach were among those killed by airstrikes on Wednesday.
Israel's bombardment of Gaza has to date killed more than 200 Palestinians, including four boys who were struck on a beach Wednesday by shells fired from a navy ship. Israel said it will stop its five-hour shelling of Gaza from 7am (GMT) – 10am local time – in order to allow Palestinians to restock food, water and other necessities. However, it said it would retaliate “firmly and decisively” if Hamas or any other militant groups launch rocket attacks during that period.
Israel's bombardment of Gaza has killed more than 200 Palestinians to date.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said that following consultations with various factions the Gaza militants had decided to respect the pause as well and would refrain from firing rockets.Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said that following consultations with various factions the Gaza militants had decided to respect the pause as well and would refrain from firing rockets.
Robert Serry, the UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, had asked Israel to agree to a “unilateral humanitarian pause” so that the supplies can be delivered to Gaza, said U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq. Serry will “urge the parties in Gaza to respect that pause,” Haq said. Robert Serry, the UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, had asked Israel to agree to a “unilateral humanitarian pause” so that the supplies can be delivered to Gaza. Mr Serry will “urge the parties in Gaza to respect that pause,” according to the UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq.
Israel previously had halted its fire for six hours on Tuesday after Egypt put forward a ceasefire proposal that unravelled. Abu Zuhri said yesterday his group had formally rejected the plan, bemoaning what he called little support from the Arab world. Israel had previously agreed to halt its fire for six hours on Tuesday after Egypt brokered a ceasefire proposal that quickly unravelled. Mr Abu Zuhri said on Wednesday his group had formally rejected the plan, bemoaning what he called little support from the Arab world.
In Washington, President Barack Obama said the U.S. supports Egypt's continued efforts to restore the 2012 cease-fire and will use all of its diplomatic resources and relationships to secure a deal to end the violence. Yesterday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met with a senior official from Hamas in Cairo to try to salvage the Egyptian proposal. In Washington, President Barack Obama said the US supports Egypt's continued efforts to restore the 2012 cease-fire and will use all of its diplomatic resources and relationships to secure a deal to end the violence. Yesterday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met with a senior official from Hamas in Cairo to try to salvage the Egyptian proposal.
Palestinian employees of Gaza City's al-Deira hotel carry a wounded boy following an Israeli military strike nearby on the beach Israel's military said its forces bombed at least 150 targets in Gaza on Wednesday. It did not provide more specifics, but the Gaza Interior Ministry's website said 30 houses, including those of senior Hamas leaders Mahmoud Zahar, Jamila Shanti, Fathi Hamas and Ismail Ashkar, were targeted. Israel's military said its forces bombed at least 150 targets in Gaza on Wednesday. The Gaza Interior Ministry's website said 30 houses, including those of senior Hamas leaders Mahmoud Zahar, Jamila Shanti, Fathi Hamas and Ismail Ashkar, were targeted.
Zahar was a key figure in Hamas' violent takeover of Gaza in 2007, while the other three were members of the Palestinian parliament elected in 2006. Many Hamas leaders have gone into hiding since Israel began its bombardment July 8 in response to rocket attacks from Gaza. Palestinian employees of Gaza City's al-Deira hotel carry a wounded boy following an Israeli military strike nearby on the beach Gaza health official Ashraf al-Kidra said the Palestinian death toll rose to 222, with 1,670 wounded. Only one Israeli has so far died in the conflict - a civilian distributing food to soldiers in southern Israel on Tuesday evening - largely because of the effectiveness of Israel's Iron Dome air defense system in downing incoming rockets.
A Palestinian man looks at a house destroyed by Israeli Defense Forces during an overnight air strike in Gaza City Gaza health official Ashraf al-Kidra said the Palestinian death toll rose to 222, with 1,670 wounded. Only one Israeli has so far died in the conflict - a civilian distributing food to soldiers in southern Israel on Tuesday evening - largely because of the effectiveness of Israel's Iron Dome air defense system in downing incoming rockets. The four boys, who were cousins aged 9 to 11, were killed on the beach beside a coastal road west of Gaza City, Mr al-Kidra said. Seven others - adults and children - were wounded in the strike, which Palestinian human rights activist Khalil Abu Shamalla and Palestinian health officials said came from an Israeli naval vessel.
The four boys, who were cousins aged 9 to 11, were killed on the beach beside a coastal road west of Gaza City, al-Kidra said. Seven others - adults and children - were wounded in the strike, which Palestinian human rights activist Khalil Abu Shamalla and Palestinian health officials said came from an Israeli naval vessel. A Palestinian man looks at a house destroyed by Israeli Defense Forces during an overnight air strike in Gaza City The Israeli army said in a statement it was “carefully investigating” the matter. It said the target of the naval attack was “Hamas terrorist operatives” and that civilian casualties were “a tragic outcome.”
Hussam Abadallah, a waiter at the beachside al-Deera hotel, said the strike happened about 4pm.
A witness who identified himself only as Abu Ahmed said the boys were scavenging for scrap metal when a first shell hit a nearby shipping container used in the past by Hamas security forces. He said the boys fled but a second rocket “hit all of them.”
Abadallah said he saw “white smoke coming from a small room, like a shack, belonging to one of the fishermen not far from the fishing port.”
Palestinian children run to collect leaflets dropped by Israeli Defense Forces over the Shuja'iyya neighbourhood in east Gaza City He said he then saw the boys running. “We started shouting at them, `Run, run here,' then a shell from the sea landed behind them,” Abadallah said.
Some journalists dining at the hotel jumped from the terrace and helped five children bleeding from shrapnel get to safety in the hotel, he added. “I will never forget these horrible images,” he said.
Mobile phone footage circulated on Facebook showed the small, bloodied bodies in the sand. One dead boy was face down, with his legs at sharp angle.
The Israeli army said in a statement it was “carefully investigating” the matter. It said the target of the naval attack was “Hamas terrorist operatives” and that civilian casualties were “a tragic outcome.”
It said the army “has no intention of harming civilians dragged by Hamas into the reality of urban combat.”It said the army “has no intention of harming civilians dragged by Hamas into the reality of urban combat.”
The boys' uncle, Abdel Kareem Baker, 41, raged at Israel after the attack. “It's a cold-blooded massacre,” he said.
Israel's security Cabinet approved a call-up of 8,000 additional reservists, according to an Israeli official, also speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not permitted to discuss the matter publicly.Israel's security Cabinet approved a call-up of 8,000 additional reservists, according to an Israeli official, also speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not permitted to discuss the matter publicly.
The army said 45,000 reservists have already been summoned - a sign that Israel was ramping up its threat to carry out a ground offensive, although experts have said such an action was highly unlikely.The army said 45,000 reservists have already been summoned - a sign that Israel was ramping up its threat to carry out a ground offensive, although experts have said such an action was highly unlikely.
Abbas met with deputy Hamas chief Moussa Abu Marzouk to discuss the Egyptian initiative. An official with Abbas' Fatah faction told The Associated Press that Abbas and Egypt were trying to get Hamas on board. Palestinian children run to collect leaflets dropped by Israeli Defense Forces over the Shuja'iyya neighbourhood in east Gaza City Abbas met with deputy Hamas chief Moussa Abu Marzouk to discuss the Egyptian initiative. An official with Abbas' Fatah faction told The Associated Press that Abbas and Egypt were trying to get Hamas on board.
Young relatives of four boys, all from the Bakr family, killed during Israeli shelling, cry during their funeral in Gaza City Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Hamas would pay a high price for rejecting the Egyptian plan. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Hamas would pay a high price for rejecting the Egyptian plan.
Tens of thousands of Palestinian residents of northern towns in Gaza were told to evacuate their homes by Wednesday morning. The Israeli military said in automated phone calls, text messages and air-dropped leaflets that large numbers of rockets were launched from these areas and that it planned to bomb these locations.Tens of thousands of Palestinian residents of northern towns in Gaza were told to evacuate their homes by Wednesday morning. The Israeli military said in automated phone calls, text messages and air-dropped leaflets that large numbers of rockets were launched from these areas and that it planned to bomb these locations.
“Whoever disregards these instructions and fails to evacuate immediately, endangers their own lives, as well as those of their families,” the message said.“Whoever disregards these instructions and fails to evacuate immediately, endangers their own lives, as well as those of their families,” the message said.
As a result, hundreds of residents of Zeitoun and Shijaiyah were seen walking in the streets, carrying small bags with belongings. Young relatives of four boys, all from the Bakr family, killed during Israeli shelling, cry during their funeral in Gaza City The Wafa Rehabilitation Center in Shijaiyah, which cares for 15 disabled and elderly patients, received several calls demanding the patients evacuate, said its director, Basman Ashi.
The Wafa Rehabilitation Center in Shijaiyah, which cares for 15 disabled and elderly patients, received several calls demanding the patients evacuate, said its director, Basman Ashi.
An Israel shell hit near the building, damaging the second floor, but causing no injuries, he said. Ashi added that his patients have nowhere to go.An Israel shell hit near the building, damaging the second floor, but causing no injuries, he said. Ashi added that his patients have nowhere to go.
Four foreign volunteers - from Britain, the U.S., France and Sweden - have set up camp at the rehabilitation center to deter the military from targeting it. Four foreign volunteers - from Britain, the US, France and Sweden - have set up camp at the rehabilitation center to deter the military from targeting it.
British volunteer Rina Andolini, 32, said the patients range in age from 12 to over 70 and none can walk or move without assistance. She said there are also 17 Palestinian staff members. Additional reporting by the Associated Press
The patients are living in constant fear, intensified by the Israeli tank shelling from across the border, she said.
When asked about the situation at the rehabilitation center, the office of the Israeli military spokesman said its residents “have been asked repeatedly to leave.”
“There is a rocket-launching site in the area,” the military said, adding that Gaza militants use the center to hide “behind civilians.”
AP