SHAH ALAM, 17 July: Israel and Hamas will hold a five-hour ceasefire to allow United Nations (UN) humanitarian teams to enter the Gaza Strip.
A UN officer reportedly told Al Jazeera that the organisation asked Israel to stop attacks after an airstrike on the small region had the potential to create a huge humanitarian crisis on July 16.
Israel decided to stop operations and attacks between 01:00 (0700 GMT) and 15:00 (1200 GMT), while Hamas will stop between 10:00 am (0700 GMT) today.
At least 223 Palestinians have been killed and over 1,600 have been injured in Israel’s nine-day bombing on the Gaza Strip.
The hospitals there are experiencing a lack of medical supplies and the Red Cross have warned there is a serious water shortage.
The latest bombing took place after the ceasefire proposal by Egypt failed.
The government of Egypt asked Israel and Hamas to stop attacks on the morning of July 15 and sent their representatives to Cairo to discuss the terms.
Citing Malaysia Kini, the Israeli cabinet agreed but Hamas, claiming that they were never informed about the proposal, rejected it in the present form.
Israeli jets continue to bombard Gaza on the evening of July 15, after six hours of peace, while the militants in Gaza launched over 60 rockets into Israel on July 16.
NS
