GAZA CITY
Israeli forces besieged an Anadolu Agency crew on Friday while covering the return of displaced Palestinians to their homes in Khan Younis in southern Gaza Strip.
"We were besieged by army troops in al-Zanna district in eastern Khan Younis while covering the return of displaced Gazans to their homes," photojournalist Metin Yuksel told AA.
He said that Israeli forces stationed on Khan Younis' eastern border moved toward the al-Zanna district on Friday.
"Israeli forces fired stun bombs, which caused light injures among the crew members," he said.
The AA crew later managed to leave the area, according to Yuksel.
A 72-hour humanitarian truce began in the Gaza Strip at 08:00am local time (05:00GMT) on Friday at a U.N. request to help civilians stock up on food.
The truce comes following 25 days of relentless Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, which killed at least 1458 Palestinians – mostly civilians – and injured more than 8000 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 Nour Abu Eisha
englishnews@aa.com.tr
www.aa.com.tr/en
