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Hamas Gaza Ceasefire Announced As Israeli Military Resumes Military Offensive

Hamas Announces Ceasefire As Israel Continues Bombing
The Huffington Post UK
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Hamas has implemented a 24-hour ceasefire, announced shortly after Israel called off a truce due to "incessant" rocket fire from the Gaza Strip.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has already accused the militant group of violating the truce.

Hamas spokesman, Sami Abu Zuhri, told Reuters: "In response to UN intervention and considering the situation of our people and the occasion of Eid, it has been agreed among resistance factions to endorse a 24-hour humanitarian calm, starting from 2pm on Sunday (12pm BST).

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APTOPIX Mideast Israel Palestinians(01 of22)
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Smoke from Israeli strikes rises over Gaza City, in the northern Gaza Strip, Sunday, July 27, 2014. Israel resumed its Gaza offensive on Sunday, calling off a unilateral extension of a humanitarian cease-fire after Palestinian militants fired several rockets at southern Israel. The rocket fire began late Saturday after Gaza's Hamas rulers, who have demanded the lifting of an Israeli and Egyptian blockade on the territory and the release of prisoners, refused to extend the truce. (AP Photo/Adel Hana) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Mideast Israel Palestinians(02 of22)
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Smoke from an Israeli strike rises over Gaza City, in the northern Gaza Strip, Sunday, July 27, 2014. Israel resumed its Gaza offensive on Sunday, calling off a unilateral extension of a humanitarian cease-fire after Palestinian militants fired several rockets at southern Israel. The rocket fire began late Saturday after Gaza's Hamas rulers, who have demanded the lifting of an Israeli and Egyptian blockade on the territory and the release of prisoners, refused to extend the truce. (AP Photo/Adel Hana) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Mideast Gaza Egypt(03 of22)
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A Palestinian man who was injured in the war in Gaza is prepared to be moved by ambulance from a hospital in north Sinai to Cairo after crossing the Gaza Egypt border Saturday, in el-Arish, Egypt, early Sunday, July 27, 2014. Hamas on Sunday agreed to observe a 24-hour humanitarian truce after initially rejecting such an offer by Israel, as fighting resumed and the two sides wrangled over the terms of a lull the international community hopes can be expanded into a more sustainable truce. (AP Photo/Muhamed Sabry) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Mideast Gaza Egypt(04 of22)
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A Palestinian child who was injured in the war in Gaza gives the victory sign as he is prepared to be moved by ambulance from a hospital in north Sinai to Cairo after crossing the Gaza Egypt border Saturday, in el-Arish, 290 kilometers (180 miles) east of Cairo, Egypt, early Sunday, July 27, 2014. Hamas on Sunday agreed to observe a 24-hour humanitarian truce after initially rejecting such an offer by Israel, as fighting resumed and the two sides wrangled over the terms of a lull the international community hopes can be expanded into a more sustainable truce. (AP Photo/Muhamed Sabry) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
APTOPIX Mideast Israel Palestinians(05 of22)
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A Palestinian shows his pet bird which he managed to catch amid the rubble of houses destroyed by Israeli strikes in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza Strip, Sunday, July 27, 2014. Hamas on Sunday agreed to observe a 24-hour humanitarian truce ahead of a major Muslim holiday after initially rejecting such an offer by Israel, as the two sides wrangled over setting the terms of a lull the international community hopes can be expanded into a more sustainable truce. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Belgium Mideast Protest(06 of22)
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A young supporter of Israel waves a flag during a demonstration in front of the Israeli embassy in Brussels on Sunday, July 27, 2014. Hamas says it has agreed to a 24-hour humanitarian truce in the Gaza war ahead of a major Muslim holiday. The three-day Eid al-Fitr holiday, which caps the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, is expected to begin Monday or Tuesday, depending on the sighting of the new moon. Israel had offered a 24-hour truce late Saturday, but Hamas rejected it, firing more rockets on Israel. In response, Israel's military resumed operations in Gaza. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Mideast Israel Palestinians(07 of22)
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Damage from Israeli strikes leaves a room in the children's ward scattered with debris, at a hospital in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza Strip, Sunday, July 27, 2014. Hamas on Sunday agreed to observe a 24-hour humanitarian truce ahead of a major Muslim holiday after initially rejecting such an offer by Israel, as the two sides wrangled over setting the terms of a lull the international community hopes can be expanded into a more sustainable truce. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Mideast Israel Palestinians(08 of22)
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Palestinians walk past the rubble of houses destroyed by Israeli strikes in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza Strip, Sunday, July 27, 2014. Hamas on Sunday agreed to observe a 24-hour humanitarian truce ahead of a major Muslim holiday after initially rejecting such an offer by Israel, as the two sides wrangled over setting the terms of a lull the international community hopes can be expanded into a more sustainable truce. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Mideast Israel Palestinians(09 of22)
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A wheelchair lies abandoned on a debris-strewn street amid the rubble of houses damaged by Israeli strikes in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza Strip, Sunday, July 27, 2014. Hamas on Sunday agreed to observe a 24-hour humanitarian truce ahead of a major Muslim holiday after initially rejecting such an offer by Israel, as the two sides wrangled over setting the terms of a lull the international community hopes can be expanded into a more sustainable truce. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Mideast Israel Palestinians(10 of22)
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Palestinians walk amid the rubble of houses destroyed by Israeli strikes in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza Strip, Sunday, July 27, 2014. Hamas on Sunday agreed to observe a 24-hour humanitarian truce ahead of a major Muslim holiday after initially rejecting such an offer by Israel, as the two sides wrangled over setting the terms of a lull the international community hopes can be expanded into a more sustainable truce. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Mideast Israel Palestinians(11 of22)
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A news cameraman films at a live position as in the background smoke rises from an Israeli strike in Gaza City, Sunday, July 27, 2014. Hamas on Sunday agreed to observe a 24-hour humanitarian truce ahead of a major Muslim holiday after initially rejecting such an offer by Israel, as the two sides wrangled over setting the terms of a lull the international community hopes can be expanded into a more sustainable truce. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Mideast Israel Palestinians(12 of22)
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Palestinian children sit on a donkey cart waiting to fill a plastic container with drinking water at a public tap in the town of Jabaliya in the northern Gaza Strip, Sunday, July 27, 2014. Israel resumed its Gaza offensive on Sunday, calling off a unilateral extension of a humanitarian cease-fire after Palestinian militants fired several rockets at southern Israel. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Mideast Israel Palestinians(13 of22)
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Palestinian Ibrahim Imtawak, 30, holds his son Muhammed, 4, at the Kamal Adwan hospital in Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza Strip, Sunday, July 27, 2014. According to the father, Muhammed broke his left leg Thursday from falling debris at the family house after an Israeli strike close by. Israel resumed its Gaza strikes on Sunday, calling off a unilateral extension of a humanitarian cease-fire after Palestinian militants from inside Gaza fired several rockets at southern Israel. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Mideast Israel Palestinians(14 of22)
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A Palestinian girl holds plastic bottles waiting to fill them with drinking water at a public tap in town of Jabaliya in the northern Gaza Strip, Sunday, July 27, 2014. Israel resumed its Gaza offensive on Sunday, calling off a unilateral extension of a humanitarian cease-fire after Palestinian militants fired several rockets at southern Israel.(AP Photo/Khalil Hamra) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
India Israel Palestinians(15 of22)
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Indian Muslims shout slogans during a demonstration to protest against Israeli airstrikes on Gaza strip, in Bangalore, India, Sunday, July 27, 2014. The 20-day war has killed more than a thousand Palestinians, mainly civilians, according to Palestinian health officials.(AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Mideast Israel Palestinians(16 of22)
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Smoke from Israeli strikes rises over Gaza City, in the northern Gaza Strip, Sunday, July 27, 2014. Israel resumed its Gaza offensive on Sunday, calling off a unilateral extension of a humanitarian cease-fire after Palestinian militants fired several rockets at southern Israel. The rocket fire began late Saturday after Gaza's Hamas rulers, who have demanded the lifting of an Israeli and Egyptian blockade on the territory and the release of prisoners, refused to extend the truce. (AP Photo/Adel Hana) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
India Israel Palestinians(17 of22)
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An Indian Muslim boy holds a placard as he joins elders during a demonstration to protest against Israeli airstrikes on Gaza strip, in Bangalore, India, Sunday, July 27, 2014. The 20-day war has killed more than a thousand Palestinians, mainly civilians, according to Palestinian health officials.(AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
India Israel Palestinians(18 of22)
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Indian protesters hold placards and shout slogans during a protest against Israel's invasion of Gaza in Mumbai, India, Sunday, July 27, 2014. The 20-day war has killed more than a thousand Palestinians, mainly civilians, according to Palestinian health officials. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Mideast Israel Palestinians(19 of22)
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Israeli left wing activists light candles with shape of the word "Sorry" in Hebrew and place portraits on the ground of Israelis and Palestinians who have been killed in the conflict, during a demonstration against the Gaza war, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Saturday, July 26, 2014. Hamas says it has fired five rockets at Israel after rejecting Israel's offer to extend a 12-hour humanitarian cease-fire by four hours. The Palestinian militant group says two of the rockets were aimed at Tel Aviv. Police in Israel's second-largest city dispersed a peace rally attended by several thousand people because of the threat. (AP Photo/Dan Balilty) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Mideast Israel Palestinians(20 of22)
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A Palestinian boy waits to fill a plastic container with drinking water at a public tap in the town of Jabaliya in the northern Gaza Strip, Sunday, July 27, 2014. Israel resumed its Gaza offensive on Sunday, calling off a unilateral extension of a humanitarian cease-fire after Palestinian militants fired several rockets at southern Israel.(AP Photo/Khalil Hamra) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
APTOPIX France Gaza Protest(21 of22)
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A pro-Palestinian protester displays a Palestinian flag while standing on a monument at Place de la Republique in Paris, France, during a banned demonstration in support of Gaza, Saturday, July 26, 2014. French police fired tear gas as clashes broke out at a banned pro-Gaza demonstration on Saturday as thousands defied a ban on the protest. The interior minister had earlier called on organizers of the Paris demonstration to observe the ban imposed to halt potential anti-Semitic violence. (AP Photo/Benjamin Girette) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Mideast Israel Palestinians(22 of22)
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Israeli left wing activists light candles with shape of the word "Sorry" in Arabic and place portraits on the ground of Israelis and Palestinians who were killed in the conflict, during a demonstration against the Gaza war, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Saturday, July 26, 2014. Hamas says it has fired five rockets at Israel after rejecting Israel's offer to extend a 12-hour humanitarian cease-fire by four hours. The Palestinian militant group says two of the rockets were aimed at Tel Aviv. Police in Israel's second-largest city dispersed a peace rally attended by several thousand people because of the threat. (AP Photo/Dan Balilty) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

A 12-hour ceasefire was observed by both sides on Saturday to allow for Gaza residents to obtain supplies and retrieve bodies still buried in the rubble.

But the Israeli Defence Force announced on Sunday morning it would resume air, ground and naval raids after continued rocket attacks from Hamas.

One soldier was killed in the attacks bringing the Israeli death toll up to 43, 40 military and three civilians.

Over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed, mostly civilians including many children.

During the previous ceasefire, Israel continued operations to destroy tunnels dug by militants.

Israeli military spokesman Col Peter Lerner, said: "This is a bit premature and we are watching the situation carefully.

"But perhaps indeed they have decided again to hold their fire and it will enable us to deal with and sort out these terrorist tunnels which have been built along our border."

Former deputy prime minister John Prescott has called Israel's offensive a "brutally disproportionate and grossly indiscriminate" bombardment a war crime.

Lord Prescott said any other country would be made an international "pariah" if it acted in the same way.

He also directly compared the situation in Gaza with a concentration camp, suggesting the Nazi Holocaust should "give Israelis a unique sense of perspective and empathy with the victims of a ghetto".

There has been international condemnation of the civilian death toll with marches taking place all over the world.

Thousands gathered in London on Saturday, outside the Israeli embassy.

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