Today’s respite allowed the Red Cross and other organisations to ship in desperately needed food and medical supplies. Israel says it will hold fire for three hours everyday to ease the plight of Palestinian civilians. But it has denied having accepted an Egyptian plan for a longer-lasting ceasefire. Both sides say they are considering it positively, but each has their own conditions. A Hamas spokesman said: “Any initiative must include stopping these attacks on our people, ending this siege and opening the crossings, most importantly the Rafah crossing. Anything else won’t be accepted.” If a ceasefire does not happen Israeli leaders may approve an escalation of the offensive.

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