Bodies Recovered from Gaza Rubble amid Truce
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - The bodies of dozens of Palestinians have been recovered from the rubble across the Gaza Strip in the first few hours of a 12-hour humanitarian truce, according to medics.
Ashraf al-Qudra, Palestinian emergency services spokesman, said on Saturday that 76 bodies had been brought to hospitals in north, central and southern Gaza, as well as Gaza City, and that the toll was expected to rise further still.
The bodies were recovered just hours after a fragile "humanitarian pause" came into force between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, against which Israel launched an offensive 18 days ago that has so far killed more than 900 people, Al Jazeera reported.
The growing casualties came amid a new high-level diplomatic push after Israel's cabinet on Friday rejected the terms of a US-sponsored longer-lasting ceasefire that was meant to end the fighting.
John Kerry, US secretary of state, was on Saturday in Paris, where a meeting between him, his French counterpart and other diplomats from influential countries, was taking place.
Those present in the meeting on Gaza included top diplomats from Britain, Germany, Italy, Qatar, Turkey and the European Union.
Since Israel's assault on Gaza began on July 8, more than 900 Palestinians, including children, have been killed. More than 5,800 others have been reported injured.
