After a pause, bloodshed in Gaza

Gaza City: Israeli air strikes in Gaza killed four children on Thursday, medics said, after a humanitarian lull in a 10-day conflict that has killed 237 Palestinians.

One strike hit the Sabra neighbourhood of central Gaza, killing three children, emergency services spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said.

Their deaths were the first to follow the end of the five-hour ceasefire, which brought some respite for residents of the besieged Palestinian territory.

Another strike shortly afterwards in the southern city of Khan Yunis killed a four-year-old girl.

Earlier, Israel and the Hamas movement announced on Thursday they were observing a five-hour humanitarian truce requested by the United Nations.

Later, Israel said it had agreed on a truce although Hamas denied it.

News of a fresh attempt to end the worst bloodshed in the Gaza Strip in five years came during a five-hour humanitarian truce, under which both Israel and Hamas militants had agreed to hold their fire.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was due to meet with his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to push peace efforts.