Itongadol.- Thousands of residents flee homes, Palestinians say at least 50 killed in district after IDF intensifies artillery and air attacks; Red Cross calls for humanitarian cease-fire; Abbas condemns "massacre."
The IDF agreed to a Red Cross request for a two hour humanitarian cease-fire in the northeast Gaza district of Shejaia which has been the target of heavy Israeli artillery and air attacks throughout Sunday.
The cease-fire, to be in effect from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. will allow for injured to be evacuated from the area.
Prior to the cease-fire, the IDF had been carrying out wide-ranging attacks on Shejaia, which the army considers a main center of terror activity in the Gaza
Gaza medical sources were reporting that at least 50 people had been killed and hundreds wounded in the IDF attacks.
The IDF called on residents of the area to take the opportunity of the cease-fire to vacate Shejaia and make their way to Gaza City.
The army warned that any attempt to take advantage of the cease-fire to launch attacks on Israel would be answered with fire.
The mass casualties in Shejaia appeared to be the heaviest since Israel launched Operation Protective Edge on July 8.