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Gaza conflict: 12-hour truce as deaths top 900 | Gaza conflict: 12-hour truce as deaths top 900 |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Residents in Gaza are using a 12-hour humanitarian truce to return to their homes, gather essential supplies and search for those trapped in the rubble. | Residents in Gaza are using a 12-hour humanitarian truce to return to their homes, gather essential supplies and search for those trapped in the rubble. |
At least 85 bodies have been pulled from the rubble during the truce, a Palestinian health official says. | |
That raises the Palestinian death toll to 985 since the Israel-Hamas conflict began on 8 July, the spokesman said. Thirty-nine Israelis have died. | |
International talks on a longer truce have resumed in Paris. | |
Israel said it would continue to "locate and neutralise" Hamas tunnels during the pause, which began at 08:00 local time (05:00 GMT). | Israel said it would continue to "locate and neutralise" Hamas tunnels during the pause, which began at 08:00 local time (05:00 GMT). |
So far 31 tunnels have been discovered, with about half destroyed, Israeli's military says. | |
Before the truce began, Israeli strikes killed at least 19 Palestinians overnight at a family home near Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. | |
Images showed relatives weeping as the bodies of five children were taken to a local morgue. | |
Two Israeli soldiers were also killed overnight, Israel's military confirmed. | |
The Iron Dome defence system intercepted three rockets fired towards the southern Israeli town of Ashkelon overnight. | |
'Astonishing scene': Ian Pannell, BBC News, Gaza City | 'Astonishing scene': Ian Pannell, BBC News, Gaza City |
In the district of Shejaiya, residents started flooding back from 08:00, despite warnings not to do so. | In the district of Shejaiya, residents started flooding back from 08:00, despite warnings not to do so. |
The scene here is just astonishing - the most widespread destruction: buildings completely pulverised, cars thrown 50m (160ft) into the air on top of buildings, the facades of some block of flats completely ripped off. | The scene here is just astonishing - the most widespread destruction: buildings completely pulverised, cars thrown 50m (160ft) into the air on top of buildings, the facades of some block of flats completely ripped off. |
The air is pretty thick with the stench of death as people try to recover bodies and belongings. | The air is pretty thick with the stench of death as people try to recover bodies and belongings. |
In the background I can hear a crackle of gunfire. Although a humanitarian ceasefire is in place, clearly people are still shooting. There is an Israeli drone flying overhead, and we've heard the sound of fighter jets. | In the background I can hear a crackle of gunfire. Although a humanitarian ceasefire is in place, clearly people are still shooting. There is an Israeli drone flying overhead, and we've heard the sound of fighter jets. |
I think people feel they have a brief window of opportunity to do as much as they can and then frankly get out of here. | I think people feel they have a brief window of opportunity to do as much as they can and then frankly get out of here. |
Follow Ian Pannell's tweets from Gaza | Follow Ian Pannell's tweets from Gaza |
'Confident of ceasefire' | 'Confident of ceasefire' |
US Secretary of State John Kerry is meeting the foreign ministers of Turkey, Qatar and some European countries in Paris in the hopes of agreeing a longer ceasefire. | US Secretary of State John Kerry is meeting the foreign ministers of Turkey, Qatar and some European countries in Paris in the hopes of agreeing a longer ceasefire. |
Mr Kerry spent a week in the Middle East attempting to broker a deal before leaving Egypt on Friday. | Mr Kerry spent a week in the Middle East attempting to broker a deal before leaving Egypt on Friday. |
"The goal is to bring together international efforts so that as quickly as possible conditions for a cease-fire in Gaza emerge," said a French foreign ministry spokesman. | "The goal is to bring together international efforts so that as quickly as possible conditions for a cease-fire in Gaza emerge," said a French foreign ministry spokesman. |
Hamas insists that any ceasefire should include a lifting of the blockade imposed on Gaza by Israel and Egypt since 2007. | Hamas insists that any ceasefire should include a lifting of the blockade imposed on Gaza by Israel and Egypt since 2007. |
Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev said Israel "appreciated" Mr Kerry's continued efforts, and that Israel wanted "peace and quiet". | |
"The people of Gaza are not our enemy, our enemy are the people shooting those rockets into Israeli cities," Mr Regev told the BBC. | |
Israel is reported to want to continue operations against Hamas infiltration tunnels once direct conflict ends. | Israel is reported to want to continue operations against Hamas infiltration tunnels once direct conflict ends. |
In the meantime, the 12-hour truce was agreed overnight, although the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) vowed to respond if attacked. | |
The truce came shortly after Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon warned that ground operations in Gaza could soon be broadened "significantly". | |
The British ambassador to the UN, Mark Lyall Grant, said he was disappointed at the failure to reach a longer-term truce. | The British ambassador to the UN, Mark Lyall Grant, said he was disappointed at the failure to reach a longer-term truce. |
But he welcomed Saturday's 12-hour pause, saying it could "open up a little bit of space to work on a more sustainable ceasefire". | But he welcomed Saturday's 12-hour pause, saying it could "open up a little bit of space to work on a more sustainable ceasefire". |
Separately, the UK confirmed it would send £2m ($3.39m) of additional assistance to the UN Relief and Works Agency (Unrwa) in Gaza. | Separately, the UK confirmed it would send £2m ($3.39m) of additional assistance to the UN Relief and Works Agency (Unrwa) in Gaza. |
There were also clashes during protests in the West Bank on Friday which left at least five Palestinians dead. | There were also clashes during protests in the West Bank on Friday which left at least five Palestinians dead. |
Palestinians in the West Bank had declared a "Day of Rage" against Israel's military operation in the Gaza Strip. | Palestinians in the West Bank had declared a "Day of Rage" against Israel's military operation in the Gaza Strip. |
Israel launched its military offensive on 8 July with the declared objective of stopping Hamas firing rockets into Israel. | Israel launched its military offensive on 8 July with the declared objective of stopping Hamas firing rockets into Israel. |
It has since extended its operation to destroy tunnels dug by militants to infiltrate Israel. | It has since extended its operation to destroy tunnels dug by militants to infiltrate Israel. |
Are you in the West Bank, Gaza or Israel? How has the ceasefire affected you? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk, using the subject line 'Israel Gaza'. | Are you in the West Bank, Gaza or Israel? How has the ceasefire affected you? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk, using the subject line 'Israel Gaza'. |