Hamas says agrees to 24-hour Gaza humanitarian truce

Hamas on Sunday belatedly said it has agreed to a 24-hour humanitarian truce, shortly after Israel announced a resumption of hostilities in Gaza following a day-long pause.

"In response to the UN's intervention request to monitor the situation... it has been agreed between the resistance factions that a 24-hour humanitarian truce will start from 2pm (1100 GMT)," Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said in a statement.

Zuhri said the ceasefire would take place ahead of the three-day Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan and is expected to fall on Monday.

There was no immediate reaction from Israel, and strikes continued to hit Gaza, including inside Gaza City.

The two sides mostly stuck to a 12-hour humanitarian ceasefire on Saturday, with Israel agreeing extend it, while Hamas resumed its rocket fire as the initial lull ended at 1700 GMT, with one mortar shell killing a soldier.

But on Sunday morning, Israel said it was resuming its aerial, naval and ground campaign against Gaza after what it said was "incessant" Hamas rocket fire.