20 Martyrs in ’Israeli’ Shelling on UNRWA School, Bibi Asks Kerry for Truce

Local Editor

An "Israeli" shelling on a UN school in Gaza killed 20 people early Wednesday, medics said, as Palestinian factions were to head to Cairo to discuss a temporary humanitarian ceasefire.

On the 23rd day of continuous "Israeli" aggression on Gaza, the toll of Palestinian martyrs raised to more than 1,260, mostly are children and women.

On Wednesday morning, an "Israeli" shell slammed into a UN school being used as a shelter for those displaced by fighting, martyring 20 people, emergency services spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said.

The shell hit the Palestinian refugee agency [UNRWA] girls' school in Jabalia refugee camp.
A UN official confirmed the shelling, saying it hit a bathroom and two classrooms in the school.
The incident occurred after 5:30 am, and a couple of hours after "Israeli" tanks had begun heavy shelling in the area.
It came as a Palestinian delegation prepared for a trip to Cairo to discuss a temporary humanitarian ceasefire.

The West Bank-headquartered Palestine Liberation Organization, said it had garnered Hama's support for a 24-hour truce, but did not say when that was due to start.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas "was in touch with [ Hamas chief Khaled] Meshaal yesterday and today. He proposed the 24 hour truce, Meshaal and Hamas agreed", senior Palestinian official Nabil Shaath declared.
This comes as heavy "Israeli" bombardment of Gaza overnight Monday to Tuesday killed scores of Palestinians after they marked the beginning of the Muslim Eid festival, medics said.

Rights groups expressed growing alarm Tuesday at the number of Gaza children victims.
The more than 240 children who have been martyred represent at least 29 percent of civilian casualties, the United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF, said in a statement.
"We see children killed, injured, mutilated and burnt, in addition to being terrified to their core. The consequences run much deeper than previous flare-ups" in Gaza, UNICEF's Gaza field office chief Pernille Ironside said.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said that "Israeli" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had asked for fresh help from America in trying to broker a ceasefire.
"Last night we talked, and the prime minister talked to me about an idea and a possibility of a ceasefire. He raised it with me, as he has consistently," Kerry said Tuesday.

The top US diplomat added that Netanyahu had said he "would embrace a ceasefire that permits "Israel" to protect itself against tunnels and obviously not be disadvantaged for the great sacrifice they have made thus far."
There was no "Israeli" government comment.

"When we have an "Israeli" commitment... on a humanitarian truce, we will look into it but we will never declare a truce from our side while the occupation keeps killing our children," Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said on Facebook.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team