MOSCOW, July 26 (RIA Novosti) – At least 35 bodies have been retrieved from rubble in the Gaza Strip soon after a humanitarian pause agreed between Israel and the Hamas movement entered into force in the region, Agence France Presse reported Saturday.
The overall death toll from the conflict reaching its 19th day has by now surpassed 900.
According to emergency services spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra, the bodies were recovered in the first three hours of the humanitarian ceasefire. Thirteen bodies were found in Shejaiya in eastern Gaza City, nine in north Gaza and another thirteen in Deir al-Balah and Nusseirat in central Gaza.
A 12-hour humanitarian pause between Israel and Hamas went into effect early Saturday.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that the fire was stopped from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Israeli summer time (05:00-17:00 GMT), and warned that they would respond to any attempt by the militants to disrupt the agreement. Israeli servicemen warned that they would not leave unanswered any raids and would not stop destructing dozens of underground tunnels dug by Hamas militants to sneak into Israel.
It was supposed that the truce would allow the civilian population in the enclave to replenish its food and medical supplies and to move from the conflict zone to safer areas.
Earlier on Friday, the Israeli Security Cabinet rejected a proposal initiated by US Secretary of State John Kerry for a longer-lasting ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
Israel has been conducting its military operation in the Gaza Strip targeting the Hamas movement and its allied groups of Palestinian rebels since July 7.
Late July 17, following days of shelling and aerial bombardment the Israeli military moved to a ground offensive largely aimed at demolishing the tunnels.
According to the recent reports, more than 926 Palestinians mostly civilians have already died in the conflict. The Israeli side has lost about 40 people.
