Israel launches ground offensive against Hamas

This, even as hectic diplomatic efforts continued to broker a ceasefire

Israel today launched a ground offensive in the Gaza Strip even as hectic diplomatic efforts continued to broker a ceasefire to end the 10 days of conflict that has killed 237 Palestinians.

The army said in a statement that after 10 days of Hamas attacks, it has "initiated a ground operation within the Gaza Strip."

The army says the objective is to strike a "significant blow to Hamas' terror infrastructure."

The move comes hours after fighting between Israel and Hamas militants resumed following a brief lull to allow Gaza residents to stock up on food and other supplies.

A five-hour ceasefire was observed on the request of the United Nations for humanitarian reasons, but hostilities quickly resumed after it ended.

Four children were killed in an Israeli airstrike in the heart of Gaza city. Two Palestinians were injured in another airstrike.

Three Palestinians were killed in the tank shelling in the east of Gaza Strip.

At least 17 persons were injured after a hospital in Gaza's Shejaiya district came under Israeli fire. Israel also shot down a Hamas drone, second such incident this week.

At least three mortar shells were fired from Gaza during the ceasefire, and the Israeli military said a soldier was injured by an explosion during an "operational activity" near southern Gaza. Troops responded with mortar fire, the Israel Defense Forces said.

Despite those incidents, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said both sides had "mostly respected" the ceasefire.

UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Robert Serry had asked Israel for a humanitarian ceasefire following an incident in which four Palestinian children were killed on a beach in Gaza.

The two sides agreed to the ceasefire to allow Palestinians to stock up on food, water and other necessities.

During the lull in fighting, air raid sirens went off briefly in southern Israel and the truce appeared to be generally holding.

Palestinians rushed to shops and banks as the five-hour truce agreed by Israel and Hamas came into force.

"Should the humanitarian window be exploited by Hamas or other terror organisations for the purpose of launching attacks against Israeli civilian or military targets the IDF will respond firmly and decisively," the Israel Defense Forces had said in a statement.