Palestinian medics recovered 75 bodies from under the rubble of homes in the Gaza Strip as a 12-hour humanitarian truce took effect on Saturday.

"Seventy-five bodies were retrieved in the Gaza Strip," Health Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qodra told AA.

He said 21 bodies were uncovered in the southern Khan Younis city, 29 in eastern border areas and 25 in northern border areas.

The new fatalities bring to 975 the number of Palestinians killed in relentless Israeli attacks on the blockaded Gaza Strip since July 7. At least 5900 Palestinians have also been injured.

Palestinian resistance factions and Israel on Saturday began a 12-hour humanitarian pause in Israel's 20-day military offensive in the Gaza Strip.

The short lull was declared after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry failed to reach a week-long humanitarian ceasefire in the Palestinian territory.

Since July 7, Israel has pummeled the Gaza Strip – from air, land and sea – with the ostensible aim of halting Palestinian rocket fire.

According to official Israeli figures, 40 Israelis – 37 soldiers and three civilians – have been killed since hostilities began.

Israel's operation "Protective Edge" is the self-proclaimed Jewish state's third major offensive against the densely-populated Gaza Strip, which is home to some 1.8 million Palestinians, within the last six years.

In 2008/9, over 1500 Palestinians were killed – the vast majority of them civilians – during Israel's three-week-long "Operation Cast Lead."

PHOTO CAPTION

Smoke rises in the Gaza Strip due to Israeli attacks, July 24, 2014.

AA