resumed rocket fire Saturday on Israel
after rejecting Israel's offer to extend a
humanitarian cease-fire, the latest
setback in international efforts to
negotiate an end to the Gaza war.
Despite the Hamas rejection, Israel's
Cabinet decided to extend a truce for
24 hours, until midnight (2100 GMT)
Sunday. However, it warned that its
military would respond to any fire from
Gaza and would continue to demolish
Hamas military tunnels during this
period.
A temporary lull on Saturday saw
Palestinians return to neighborhoods
reduced to rubble and allowed medics
to collect close to 150 bodies,
Palestinian health official Ashraf al-
Kidra.
With the retrieval of the corpses, the
number of Palestinians killed reached
1,047 in 19 days of fighting, while more
than 6,000 were wounded, he said.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and
European foreign ministers, meeting in
Paris, had hoped to transform the
cease-fire into a more sustainable
truce. That effort was thrown into
doubt with the Hamas' rejection of the
extension.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri
said any truce must include a
withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza,
and that tens of thousands of displaced
people must be allowed to return to
their homes. Israel's current terms are
"not acceptable," he said in a text
message to journalists.
In the northern Gaza town of Beit
Hanoun, scores of homes had been
pulverized, wreckage blocked roads and
power cables dangled in the streets.
Hardest-hit were areas close to the
border with Israel, areas from where
Gaza militants typically fire rockets.
Manal Kefarneh, 30, wept as she
inspected her damaged home.
On an unfinished top floor, she and her
husband had been raising chickens.
The couple collected those dead and
replenished water for the living in
hopes they will survive the war.
"What did we do to deserve this?" she
asked. "All of the Arab leaders watch
what's going on here like it's a
Bollywood film."
Israeli strikes have destroyed hundreds
of homes, including close to 500 in
targeted hits, and forced tens of
thousands of people to flee, according
to Palestinian rights groups.
Across Gaza, 147 bodies were pulled
from the rubble Saturday, officials said.
In southern Gaza, a tank shell killed 20
members of an extended family who
sought refuge inside a building, al-
Kidra said.
Israel says it is doing its utmost to
prevent civilian casualties, including
sending evacuation warnings to
residents in targeted areas, and blames
Hamas for putting civilians in harm's
way.
Israel has lost 42 soldiers and two
civilians, and a Thai worker also has been killed
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