JERUSALEM
U.N. special coordinator Robert Serry has called on Palestinian factions to abide by a 72-hour humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
In a Friday statement, Serry called on Palestinian factions to "urgently reaffirm their commitment to the humanitarian ceasefire".
Serry said he had been notified by Israel about a "serious incident" that occurred after the ceasefire took effect on Friday.
"The United Nations is not in a position to independently confirm these reports," he said.
"However, if corroborated, this would constitute a serious violation of the humanitarian ceasefire in place since 8 A.M. this morning by Gazan militant factions, which should be condemned in the strongest terms," he added.
An Israeli official on Friday declared the collapse of the humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, amid reports that two soldiers had been killed and a third abducted in southern Gaza Strip.
Senior Hamas leader Moussa Abu Marzouq, however, said that the two soldiers had been killed and a third captured ahead of the start of the ceasefire.
"There is no justification for Israel to violate the truce as the officer was captured and the two soldiers were killed ahead of the truce," Abu Marzouq told Anadolu Agency.
He said that Palestinian factions were abiding by the truce and were only responding to Israeli "aggression".
"Israel ended the truce unilaterally," Abu Marzouq said. "We are committed to the truce and only respond to aggression."
On Friday, at least 40 Palestinians were killed and more than 100 others injured in Israeli shelling of Rafah city in southern Gaza Strip.
Israel has been pounding the Gaza Strip for almost four weeks, which killed at least 1458 Palestinians and injured more than 8300 others.
Israel claims that the offensive aims to undermine the ability of Palestinian factions to fire rockets at Israeli cities.
According to Israeli figures, at least 61 soldiers have been killed in battles with Palestinian fighters and three civilians by rocket fire.
Israel's military operation, codenamed "Operation Protective Edge," is the self-proclaimed Jewish state's third major offensive against the densely-populate Gaza Strip – which is home to some 1.8 million Palestinians – within the last six years.
By Abdel-Raouf Arnaout
englishnews@aa.com.tr
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