TEL AVIV, July 20 (RIA Novosti) – Brief humanitarian ceasefire in eastern Gaza has collapsed because Hamas continued to shoot Israeli forces, an Israeli army source said Sunday.
“The agreement to implement a ceasefire was ended because of Hamas who started shooting at our soldiers. We had to answer back,” the source said.
Earlier in the day, Israel agreed to a two-hour humanitarian ceasefire in Shuja'iya, an eastern neighborhood of Gaza, to allow medics to treat wounded Palestinians.
“We have agreed to the Red Cross' request for a humanitarian window in Shuja'iya. We will hold our fire there from 13:30-15:30 [10:30-12:30 GMT],” the military wrote on its Twitter page.
A column of around 20 ambulances, fire fighting and media vehicles entered Shuja'iya after Israel agreed to suspend fire. Rescuers, medics and reporters are working on the site, according to live video streaming. Shooting is not heard.
Local residents joined the rescue operation. They are evacuating the wounded by their cars. Doctors said that there very are many people in need of medical assistance and called on sides to renew the ceasefire and provide equipment to remove debris from the damaged buildings.
Palestinian officials say hundreds of people were killed and injured on Sunday after the Israeli Defense Forces shelled the Shejaiya district of Gaza.
Israel announced Sunday it was expanding its ground offensive in the Gaza Strip which was launched late on July 17, following days of shelling and aerial bombardment.
According to a statement published by the Palestinian health ministry, the number of people killed during Israel’s operation that entered its 13th day has surpassed 350 people.
On July 8, Israel started its Operation Protective Edge targeting the Hamas movement, which controls the region, and its allied groups of Palestinian rebels. About ten days later, the Israeli army switched to a ground offensive aimed at destroying underground tunnels dug by rebels to secretly enter the Israeli territory.
