Israel begins observing 7-hour humanitarian lull in Gaza

Palestinian Territories: Israeli troops began observing a unilateral seven-hour humanitarian lull in most of the Gaza Strip from 0700 GMT on Monday (August 3).

An Israeli soldier walks past a Merkava tank along the border between Israel and the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. (AFP/Gil Cohen Magen)

But Hamas, the de facto rulers of Gaza, said they would not be reciprocating the lull and warned people "to take the utmost caution" when venturing out.

The army said the temporary truce would take place everywhere except to the east of Rafah on the Egyptian border where troops were still present and clashes were ongoing.

- AFP/nd