Israel declares 12-hour pause but rejects truce

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told US secretary of state John Kerry that Israel will begin a 12-hour pause in Gaza hostilities starting at 7am Israeli time today (5am Irish time), a US official said last night.

The official, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity, made the comment when asked about Kerry’s earlier statement on a goodwill gesture by Netanyahu at a press conference in Cairo.

But later, Israel’s defence minister said Israel may soon broaden its ground operation in the Gaza Strip. In a statement by Moshe Yaalon’s office, he is quoted as telling troops in the field that “you need to be ready for the possibility that very soon we will instruct the military to significantly broaden the ground operation in Gaza”.