Gaza Death Toll Hits 1000 as Hamas Fires Rockets at Israel during Truce Extension

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Israel on Saturday approved a four-hour extension of a temporary truce in Gaza, Israeli television said, after the Palestinian death toll topped 1,000 with the retrieval of more than 130 bodies.

Channel 10 said the security cabinet had agreed to prolong a 12-hour truce that went into effect on Saturday morning by four hours, extending it until midnight local time (2100 GMT).

Shortly after the original truce expired at 1700 GMT, the Israeli military reported three mortar rounds fired from Gaza, but media reports said the army did not regard this as a major violation.

Hamas claimed firing the rockets at Israel from the Gaza Strip late Saturday.

The movement's armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam brigades, said in three separate statements it had fired two rockets at Tel Aviv in central Israel, five at Nachal Oz in the south, and another five at the southern city of Ashkelon.

The Israeli truce extension decision came after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and foreign ministers from Europe and the Middle East urged Israel and the Hamas movement to extend the fragile truce.

"We all call on parties to extend the humanitarian ceasefire," France's Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told reporters in Paris after meeting Kerry and foreign ministers from Britain, Germany, Italy, Qatar and Turkey, as well as an EU representative.

"We all want to obtain a lasting ceasefire as quickly as possible that addresses both Israeli requirements in terms of security and Palestinian requirements in terms of socio-economic development."

There was no immediate response from Hamas to either that call or to the Israeli cabinet decision.

A spokesman for the U.N. chief said in a statement Ban Ki-moon "urgently appeals once again to all parties to declare a seven-day humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza as a prelude to renewing a political process as the only way of achieving a durable peace".

After the 12-hour ceasefire started at 0500 GMT, medics digging through the remains of hundreds of Gaza homes uncovered more than 130 bodies.

The grim discoveries pushed the Palestinian toll in Gaza to more than 1,000 since the conflict erupted on July 8.

Israel also announced the deaths of three more soldiers, raising its military toll to 40, along with two Israeli civilians and a Thai worker killed in Israel.

On the ground, Palestinian ambulances sped into Gaza neighborhoods that have been too dangerous to enter for days.

Nine hours into the truce, they had found the bodies of more than 130 people in the debris.

Palestinians ventured onto Gaza's streets after the truce began, some eager to check homes they had fled, others to stock up on supplies.

In many places they found astonishing devastation: buildings leveled, entire blocks of homes completely wiped out by Israeli bombardment.

In northern Beit Hanun, even the hospital was badly damaged by shelling, and Agence France Presse correspondents came across the charred body of a paramedic.

There were similar scenes in Shejaiya, where stiff bodies lay on the floor of a room in one building, one caked in dried blood, all of them covered in dust.

East of southern Khan Yunis, residents hesitated to enter the Khuzaa neighborhood, saying Israeli forces remained inside the border area.

And in nearby Bani Suheila, where 20 people were killed in a single Israeli air strike shortly before the truce began, women and children wept as they discovered their homes destroyed.

Hamas and Israel agreed to the "humanitarian window" early on Saturday, after Israel's security cabinet on Friday night rejected a U.S. proposal for a seven-day truce during which the two sides would negotiate a longer-term deal.

Speaking after the rejection, at a news conference in Cairo with U.N. chief Ban, Kerry said Israel and Hamas "still have some terminology" to agree to on a ceasefire, but added they had "fundamental framework" on a truce.

The two sides remain at odds over the shape of a final deal to end the fighting, however.

Hamas says any truce must include a guaranteed end to Israel's eight-year blockade of Gaza, while in Israel there are calls for any deal to include the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip.

The situation in Gaza has created tensions in the West Bank, where protests against Israel's role in the conflict erupted after Friday prayers.

Troops shot dead two Palestinian teenagers early Saturday in separate clashes in the north and south of the West Bank.

That followed the deaths of six Palestinians on Friday -- five shot dead by Israeli troops and one killed by an Israeli settler.

International concern has mounted over the civilian toll in Gaza, including over a Thursday attack in which at least 15 people were killed in alleged Israeli shelling of a U.N. school.

Rights groups say about 80 percent of the casualties have been civilians, and the U.N. agency for children UNICEF said on Friday that 192 children had been killed during the conflict.

The Israeli army announced three soldiers were killed in Gaza Saturday morning before the truce began.

Rocket fire from Gaza continued before the truce, with three shot down by anti-missile defenses and one hitting open ground, the army said.

Comments 43
Thumb nickjames 26 July 2014, 18:26

Drew they are terrorists, here's why: these underground tunnels should be used to shelter civilians, not rockets. Because they prioritise their rockets over their people, that shows Hamas doesn't even care about its own people. So stop complaining about all these people dying, as many lives could have been saved if Hamas provided them shelter. Israel has shelters for its people, and because Hamas administers the Gaza Strip they are responsible for sheltering its people.

Thumb Kalzyturks 26 July 2014, 22:49

Nickjames,

GAZA is the most populated place on earth per square metre.

there is no way of they can shelter it's population.

Israel has reduced the land of Gaza by half annexing land from Gaza.

The only way to counter Israel aggression is by placing military assets under ground.

The blockade is devastating gazan population & social & infrastructure. The elected government has no choice but to make a stand against this but Israel is clearly the one provoking fuelling the fire.

Missing zgmdf 27 July 2014, 12:36

Well said!

Thumb cityboy 26 July 2014, 19:49

Ok Israel, if this truce lasts, should the Palestinian begin to prepare for 2016, the next time line in your massacre of the palestinians. As much as it would be easy for me to wish for Hamas to keep fighting, i understand if they are forced into a truce due to the zionist absolute horrendous tactics agains the innocent.

Thumb cityboy 26 July 2014, 19:52

annoyntex and nickjames, you two must be really really sick minded individuals or you have a really sick agenda on this site. Why would anyone want to debate you two is beyond me, you two are the lowest forms of humans for even defending anything Israel is doing.

Thumb nickjames 26 July 2014, 20:08

Hey psychopaths city boy and big john, I am not a Zionist. I am a real Lebanese nationalist who speaks the truth without bias. I am against all foreigners, which includes Palestinians, Syrians, Israelis, Saudis, Iranians, their respective proxies trying to control Lebanon. So you two can go to hell

Thumb cityboy 26 July 2014, 20:22

"I am a real Lebanese nationalist who speaks the truth without bias."

I wont get into a discussion with you, but have to say, if you believe that about yourself, you really should spend more of your time doing stand up then being on here. good day.

Thumb nickjames 26 July 2014, 20:16

You two idiots don't get why none of the Arabs are doing anything: because they're done caring about the Palestinians. How does that make me a Zionist? Egypt doesn't wanna get involved because Sisi isn't an Islamist. Syria hasn't attacked Syria in 40 years. Hezbollah is fighting in Syria. Nobody cares, because they don't like Hamas.

Thumb nickjames 26 July 2014, 20:18

Hasn't attacked Israel*

Missing actionmen 26 July 2014, 20:18

To Bigjohn "Why is a Lebanese Website allowing zionist scum free propaganda? I understand very few persons read this English website, but it is a CRIME in Lebanon.",it is called freedom of speech ,it is the same as allowing a Qawmi like you to defend a regime that butchered thousands of lebanese.
AS per nickjames ,was there any rockets in Qana UN base when the israelis bombed it?killing almost 200 civilians?
A helicopter chasing and bombing Palestinian children running on beach is a self defense against terrorism no?Or chasing and bombing ambulances in lebanon is a self defence no?Have you ever been to lebanon nickjames and saw what the criminals israelis did?

Thumb nickjames 26 July 2014, 20:22

I lived in Lebanon at two different points in my life. Before I always thought about the humanitarian side. But at the end of the day that doesn't matter anymore. Israel is gonna keep indiscriminately attacking Lebanon and Gaza as long as Hezbollah and Hamas are around. That's the truth whether I like it or not

Missing actionmen 26 July 2014, 20:27

Few days ago ya Big John ,there was a report about the israelis bombing a school,someone said that the reason is that Hamas were hiding rockets inside the school ,your answer which i agree with you in was ,hiding weapons does not justify attacking the school.
Same day there was a report about Syrian regime bombing hospitals ,suddenly ya Qawmi ,you were there to defend the regime,saying that the UN should perhaps investigate whether or not the FSA are hiding weapons inside the hospital.
Funny no?you accusing ppl of being traitors and labeling ppl as traitors ,criminals etc etc,take 2 min and look at yourself in the mirror,try to justify your defense of bashar and his criminal father to thousands of lebanese that have lost family members during the Syrian occupation.

Missing actionmen 26 July 2014, 20:36

Nickjames,yes Hizbollah dragged us into the 2006 war.
I do believe that Hizbollah should cease to exist as a militia,but there was no Hizbollah members in Qana.and no israeli army did not attack indiscriminately ,the iraeli army TARGET civilians,they committed war crime but they get away with it,same with Bashar and his father in lebanon.

Thumb nickjames 26 July 2014, 21:05

I'm not even gonna respond to citypsycho. Anyway, yes there were no Hezbollah fighters in Qana. Yes, Israel targeted this location. I am not defending Israel. All I know is that Israel gets away with it because America is controlled by Jews. That's the reality, we can't change that. I've turned numb to it because we can't change it. I don't defend Israel or Palestine, they're both stupid. You understand my position.

Missing actionmen 26 July 2014, 20:37

Of course i did not expect a reply from Big John ...

Thumb nickjames 26 July 2014, 21:56

I changed my mind, I'm gonna respond to city psycho. Hey psycho: you're right I should do stand-up because I stand up for what I say. You argue out of pure bias and blind loyalty when you don't even consider history or foreign policy. You just argue because you're sympathetic to someone. I say the way things are, whether I'm for it or against it. A real Lebanese nationalist is the following: someone who wants powers returned to the president and to the Christians, someone who wants the army to have sovereignty and jurisdiction over all of its lands without sectarian militias, someone who wants Lebanon not to get involved in foreign conflicts, someone who wants a country free of hegemony, free of paralysis, free of hypocrisy, and free of scumbags like you. Understood, psycho?

Thumb nickjames 26 July 2014, 22:00

That's what being a real nationalist is. Not supporting Zionism or the stupid Palestinian cause when both these people destroyed our countries, not supporting a sectarian militia who assists a murderer, not supporting takfiris, and not supporting people who ally themselves with militias. Who do you (not) support? Are you a nationalist, psycho? Or are you for the Palestinian cause, who thinks people who don't like Palestinians are Zionists?

Thumb nickjames 26 July 2014, 22:04

Destroyed our "countries" is no typo, because Lebanon has never been a country. It's never been a country because of stupid people like you who are sympathetic to foreigners and not Lebanese independence. To hell with the Palestinians, to hell with the Israelis, and to the Saudis, and to the Iranians. I want a Lebanon that takes care of itself, not that takes care of foreigners.

Thumb nickjames 26 July 2014, 22:12

Big John, you try to insult me for not caring about Palestinians dying, and here you are saying "BTW, According to the Syrian opposition media 'observatory for human rights.'" If you care about the Palestinians dying, you should care about Syrians dying instead of mocking an activist organisation. 170,000 Syrians have died and you're mocking activists who are only activists because they're being slaughtered and bombed by a murderer? There wouldn't be this Observatory for Human Rights if this "president" didn't kill his own people. You're a hypocrite and no less of a psychopath than city boy

Thumb Kalzyturks 26 July 2014, 22:57

Naharnet quickly grew to become one of the leading portals in the Lebanese market and diaspora spreading over 220 countries. It provides news, information, entertainment, mobile and social networking services.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naharnet

Missing helicopter 26 July 2014, 23:34

endowed,
Is it OK with you to have a Hezb (or anyone else) decide matters of war and peace? This is the job of the Government and the LAF. I wish the Hezb and all other militants will just go away (disappear)

Thumb nickjames 27 July 2014, 00:14

Finally my intellectual ally comes in. Texas, we're gonna take over this country one day and evict all these morons.

Thumb cityboy 27 July 2014, 00:48

anonytexas, what are you stupid. Do you think building a shelter involves simply digging a hole and pouring a little concrete under ground. Furthermore, why not blame hammas for not building an iron dome or manufacturing some tanks or planes to defend the civilians from israels autrocities. Good thing you have Nickjames to cheer on your stupidity cause i dont think even the other M14 are stooping down to your level on this one.

Thumb nickjames 27 July 2014, 01:26

Hey psycho at least I proved that I'm a Lebanese nationalist, ad you totally ignored me. The thing you don't get is Israel doesn't care about civilians and we all know that. Hamas is letting their people die by using tunnels to shelter rockets instead of people. They're giving Israel a reason to do whatever it wants. By the way Hamas just rejected another truce, so expect more Palestinians to die.

Thumb nickjames 27 July 2014, 02:57

Psycho doesn't even know what a latrine is without having to look it up. You're using big words Texas

Missing VINCENT 27 July 2014, 01:26

That is because one's actions are based on his beliefs. If he is mistaken about his beliefs, then is actions are less likely to succeed. A credulous character like him, in his mind, can declare victory absent a clear, determined and collective criticism from all those interested in ending the violence but disinterested from the outcome and/or who declares a dubious victory. Iran surely and effectively once again postponed the nuclear talks in Iran's favor I just don't understand what Qatar wants to get out of this.

Thumb nickjames 27 July 2014, 01:28

You just cry out "poor Palestinians" without really analysing the reality. Hamas is a terrorist organisation whose leader lives in a five-star hotel and doesn't give a damn about his people. If Meshaal doesn't even care about his people then why should Israel?

Thumb nickjames 27 July 2014, 01:28

You just cry out "poor Palestinians" without really analysing the reality. Hamas is a terrorist organisation whose leader lives in a five-star hotel and doesn't give a damn about his people. If Meshaal doesn't even care about his people then why should Israel?

Missing VINCENT 27 July 2014, 01:29

This has nothing to do with Lebanon (except emptying the camps), and don't accept H.A.'s alleged resistance in the name of Israel. It is an equivocation.

Thumb nickjames 27 July 2014, 01:32

They have (or had) thousands of underground tunnels. How can you say they don't have room for shelters? You're so oblivious to the fact that Hamas cares about their rockets instead of their people.

Thumb nickjames 27 July 2014, 01:36

You people on this forum think like Arabs. You go into a fight (or in this case an argument) with swords rather than guns. Grow up and get a taste of reality. Israel can get away with being as evil as it wants. That's why all the countries made peace with Israel. The only two who are stupid enough to try fighting them are Hezbollah and Hamas, the two terrorist organisations

Missing VINCENT 27 July 2014, 01:37

As this worthless cause and circle of violence continues, the world has now been educated re. Hamas' tactics and will accept consequences of Hamas' actions as Hamas has no choice other than to do the same. These two despicable cultures must find their own way to make peace or destroy each other. Even wild animals in the Jungle do not put their females and youngins in harms way when fighting an aggressor. Grow up, clear the smoke, look at the facts and accept them.

Thumb nickjames 27 July 2014, 01:44

Egypt, Jordan, and Syria all have made peace or armistice agreement with Israel. That's why none of these countries care about the Palestinians (I almost forgot Bashar is slaughtering Palestinians in Yarmouk). Face the music, Israel wins every conflict.

Missing phillipo 27 July 2014, 09:37

Why do you ignore the fact that Lebanon has also got an armistice agreement with Israel ,or does that not fit in with your "reasoning" why the other countries don't care about the Palestinians.
If Lebanon "cared" about the Palestinians, they would have given them citizenships 50-60 years ago, allow them to work freely, and inverst their energies into the improvement of the Lebanese economy.

Missing VINCENT 27 July 2014, 01:50

anonymetexasusa,
Well said.

bigjohn:
Just look what Bashar and his predecessors in Syrian have done and continue to do to fellow Arabs. The Palestinians need to put their trust on those who can forge peace with Israel (not Iran and Qatar), which in turn, would prompt the Israelis to elect a counterpart with similar convictions who can bridge the gap to bring peace.

Thumb nickjames 27 July 2014, 01:59

Meshaal would rather have 1,000 of his people die than 1,000 of his rockets destroyed. That's why the rockets are underground instead of the people. You can't even try to argue this, psycho. If you do then you're just living in denial like all the other Arabs. Winning arguments is not based on picking a side, it's about analysing what each side is all about. Good luck in your next argument.

Thumb Sanelebanese 27 July 2014, 02:23

Hamas is happy about it. They perceive the destruction and more than 1000 death as victory. If Hamas really care about their people , they should accept cease fire, and stop their stupid pinches. Their firework kind of rockets is just a joke.

Thumb mffsc 27 July 2014, 02:27

nickjames for president, and texas for prime minister.

Thumb nickjames 27 July 2014, 02:34

And mffsc for secretary-general. Wait, that's too Hezbo. You can be Speaker.

Missing phillipo 27 July 2014, 11:16

You can complain as much as you want about Israel, but please try and make me understand the following.
The Israeli Health Minister has spoken on television saying that there is a large consignment of medicines for chronically sick people in Gaza ready to be sent, but the Red Cross tells her that no-one on the Gazan side is willing to accept the medicines.
Is this the way that Hamas takes care of its population?

Thumb nickjames 27 July 2014, 21:53

They're gonna reply by saying he's lying about the medicine

Missing zgmdf 27 July 2014, 12:31

Show us one independently verifiable case where this tactic was followed by the Zionists.

Missing zgmdf 27 July 2014, 12:35

Wow,Jihadist propaganda at it's worst.Cooked brain,with such an idiotic brain content there never going to be peace for anyone in the ME.