Israel kills 3 despite ceasefire, after 16 killed in hours before | Maan News Agency
Published today (updated) 01/08/2014 11:17
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GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Three Palestinians were killed in the Gaza Strip by Israeli forces on Friday, only hours after a 72-hour ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect.
Ahmad Muhammad Hasanein , was shot dead by Israeli soldiers in eastern Gaza City, while the bodies of Bassel Diab al-Bsyuni, 37 , and an unidentified man were brought to Kamal Adwan hospital as a result of an Israeli strike.
A Ma’an correspondent in Gaza said that three were wounded after Israeli artillery fired several shells east of Rafah, in what appears to have been the first violation of the ceasefire by Israeli forces about two hours in.
In the eastern Gaza Strip, meanwhile, Israeli soldiers opened fire on Palestinian civilians who attempted to reach their homes in areas near the border.
After the Israeli attacks, sirens were heard at the Kerem Shalom border crossing with Israel, presumably as Palestinian militants fired rockets in response to the alleged Israeli violation.
Before the 72-hour ceasefire came into effect at 8 a.m., Israeli shelling on the Gaza Strip had already killed 16 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip since midnight.
The deaths brought the total since the beginning of the offensive to 1,461 and more than 8,400 injured, after hopes were raised that the three-day break in fighting could lead to a long-term end to Israel’s 24-day assault that has displaced around 400,000 people, or 1 in 4 Gazans.