Day 24 of Operation Protective Edge

Preamble: Israel’s longest and bloodiest confrontation with Hamas, in the seven years since the Islamist terror group seized control of the Gaza Strip, continues into its 24th day.

On Wednesday, Israel called a four-hour humanitarian truce, which Hamas did not reciprocate. Indeed, Hamas fired more than 130 rockets into Israel in the course of the day. Israel stepped up its military strikes on Hamas targets. There were more than a dozen deaths reported in Gaza in strikes on a UN school and a market, both of which the IDF said it was investigating. Three soldiers were killed when a booby-trapped building housing a tunnel entrance was detonated on them, raising the IDF death toll to 56.

An Israeli delegation reportedly flew to Cairo for ceasefire discussions, and left after just a few hours. Egypt was said to be refusing to host a Palestinian delegation until Hamas ceases fire, which it is refusing to do.