Israel said on Wednesday it would temporarily halt fire in the Gaza Strip on Thursday for a five-hour period, citing humanitarian reasons, according to The Associated Press.
The military said after contacts with United Nations officials Israel has decided that "between 1000 (3 a.m. EDT) and 1500 (11 a.m. EDT) the Israeli military will cease operational activity with the Gaza Strip and hold its fire," the AP reported.
Israel said it would hold its fire Thursday from 10 a.m. under a U.N.-brokered plan to allow Palestinians to restock supplies, but it vowed to retaliate "firmly and decisively" if Hamas or other militant groups launch attacks on Israel during that time, according to the AP.
Robert Serry, the U.N. special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, had asked Israel to agree to a "unilateral humanitarian pause" so that food, water and other necessities can be delivered to Gaza, said U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq, the AP reported. Serry will "urge the parties in Gaza to respect that pause," Haq said.
There was no word on whether there would be a similar lull from Palestinian militants, who fired at least 90 rockets at Israel on Wednesday and vowed not to stop until their demands were met, according to the AP.
Israel's military said its forces bombed at least 150 targets in Gaza on Wednesday, but did not provide more specifics, though the Gaza Interior Ministry's website said 30 houses, including those of senior Hamas leaders Mahmoud Zahar, Jamila Shanti, Fathi Hamas and Ismail Ashkar, were targeted, the AP reported.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met in Cairo with a senior official from the Hamas militant group to try to salvage an Egyptian cease-fire proposal on ending the conflict after the plan had collapsed shortly after being announced late Monday, according to the AP.
