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Israeli soldiers opened fire on Palestinian residents in the Gaza Strip on Friday, in the first such violation of a 12-hour humanitarian ceasefire, a Palestinian official said.
"Israeli army opened fire on civil defense teams and citizens near Gaza's eastern border," Said al-Saudi, head of Gaza's civil defense authority, told Anadolu Agency.
He said Israeli forces also fired at Palestinians in the southern city of Khan Younis.
No casualties were reported.
Palestinian resistance factions and Israel on Saturday began a 12-hour humanitarian pause in Israel's 20-day military offensive in the Gaza Strip. The short lull was declared after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry failed to reach a week-long humanitarian ceasefire in the Palestinian territory.
Since July 7, Israel has pummeled the Gaza Strip – from air, land and sea – with the ostensible aim of halting Palestinian rocket fire.
Nearly 1000 Palestinians – mostly civilians – have been killed and 6000 others in devastating Israeli bombardments of the blockaded strip.
According to official Israeli figures, 40 Israelis – 37 soldiers and three civilians – have been killed since hostilities began.
Israel's operation "Protective Edge" is the self-proclaimed Jewish state's third major offensive against the densely-populated Gaza Strip, which is home to some 1.8 million Palestinians, within the last six years.
In 2008/9, over 1500 Palestinians were killed – the vast majority of them civilians – during Israel's three-week-long "Operation Cast Lead."
By Ola Attalah
englishnews@aa.com.tr
www.aa.com.tr/en - Gazze
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