Bloody Sunday in Gaza as 87 Palestinians killed: medics

A total of 87 Palestinians were killed across Gaza on July 20 as Israel stepped up a major offensive, in the bloodiest single day in the battered enclave in five years. 

Sixty of Sunday's victims died in the war-torn neighbourhood of Shejaiya which lies between Gaza City and the border, where Israel has pressed a blistering offensive, pounding the district to dust and leaving bodies strewn throughout the streets.  
      
Sunday's bloody toll prompted urgent efforts by the International Committee of the Red Cross to broker a temporary ceasefire to allow paramedics to evacuate the dead and wounded in a deal accepted by both sides.
      
Inside the ravaged neighbourhood of Shejaiya, there were hellish scenes of carnage and chaos as a convoy of ambulances rushed in to make the most of the calm, an AFP correspondent said.
      
But it lasted less than an hour, with Israel accusing Hamas militants of firing in violation of the agreement, and saying its forces were "responding accordingly."       

Death toll passes 400

According to figures provided by emergency services spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra, the total number of people killed since the Israel operation
began on July 8 stood at 425. That number includes 112 children, 41
women and 25 elderly people.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon headed to the region to add his weight to truce
efforts and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas was to hold talks in
Qatar with Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal.
      
So far, truce efforts have been rejected by the Islamist Hamas movement, which is the dominant power in Gaza.        

Undaunted by the Israeli bombardment by land, sea and air, it has pressed on with its own assaults which...