This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-28497439
The article has changed 14 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 9 | Version 10 |
|---|---|
| Gaza conflict: 12-hour truce as deaths top 900 | Gaza conflict: 12-hour truce as deaths top 900 |
| (35 minutes 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. |
| Gaza's health ministry says 60 bodies have been recovered, with 35 already brought to the Shifa Hospital morgue. | Gaza's health ministry says 60 bodies have been recovered, with 35 already brought to the Shifa Hospital morgue. |
| Some 940 Palestinians have died since the Israel-Hamas conflict began on 8 July, with 5,870 injured, officials say. Thirty-eight Israelis have died. | |
| International talks on a longer truce are resuming in Paris. | International talks on a longer truce are resuming in Paris. |
| Correspondents reported a tense situation in areas hardest-hit by air strikes and tank shelling, but some semblance of normal life returning. | Correspondents reported a tense situation in areas hardest-hit by air strikes and tank shelling, but some semblance of normal life returning. |
| 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). |
| US Secretary of State John Kerry is meeting the foreign ministers of Turkey, Qatar and some European countries later on Saturday in Paris in the hopes of agreeing a longer ceasefire. | |
| Israeli strikes killed at least 19 Palestinians overnight at a family home near Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. | Israeli strikes killed at least 19 Palestinians overnight at a family home near Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. |
| Two Israeli soldiers were also killed, Israel's military confirmed. The Iron Dome defence system intercepted three rockets fired towards the southern Israeli town of Ashkelon overnight. | Two Israeli soldiers were also killed, 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 and 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 and 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' |
| A spokesman for Hamas, the Islamist group that controls Gaza, Sami Abu Zuhri said late on Friday that there was "national consensus on a humanitarian truce... for 12 hours on Saturday". | A spokesman for Hamas, the Islamist group that controls Gaza, Sami Abu Zuhri said late on Friday that there was "national consensus on a humanitarian truce... for 12 hours on Saturday". |
| The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) later confirmed the truce on Twitter but vowed to respond if attacked. "We will respond if terrorists choose to exploit this time to attack IDF personnel or fire at Israeli civilians," it said in a statement. | The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) later confirmed the truce on Twitter but vowed to respond if attacked. "We will respond if terrorists choose to exploit this time to attack IDF personnel or fire at Israeli civilians," it said in a statement. |
| Banks are due to open and maintenance work is being carried out to try to repair damage done to the electricity and water supplies during the recent intense Israeli bombardment, she adds. | Banks are due to open and maintenance work is being carried out to try to repair damage done to the electricity and water supplies during the recent intense Israeli bombardment, she adds. |
| Despite failure on Friday to agree a longer-term deal, US Secretary of State John Kerry said he was still confident of a longer ceasefire, despite media reports that Israel had rejected one proposal. | Despite failure on Friday to agree a longer-term deal, US Secretary of State John Kerry said he was still confident of a longer ceasefire, despite media reports that Israel had rejected one proposal. |
| "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. |
| The announcement of the humanitarian truce came shortly after Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon warned that ground operations in Gaza could soon be broadened "significantly". | The announcement of the humanitarian truce came shortly after Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon warned that ground operations in Gaza could soon be broadened "significantly". |
| Mr Yaalon told soldiers: "You need to be ready for the possibility that very soon we will instruct the military to significantly broaden the ground operation in Gaza". | Mr Yaalon told soldiers: "You need to be ready for the possibility that very soon we will instruct the military to significantly broaden the ground operation in Gaza". |
| Hamas has previously said it would not agree to any long-term truce that did not lead to an end to Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip, which has been in place since 2007. | Hamas has previously said it would not agree to any long-term truce that did not lead to an end to Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip, which has been in place since 2007. |
| 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". |
| West Bank clashes | West Bank clashes |
| 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. |
| Meanwhile Israel's military said its Iron Dome defence system had intercepted several rockets fired across the border by Hamas. | Meanwhile Israel's military said its Iron Dome defence system had intercepted several rockets fired across the border by Hamas. |
| 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? Are you affected by the violence? 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? Are you affected by the violence? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk, using the subject line 'Israel Gaza'. |