UNITED NATIONS, Dec 30 (Agencies): Palestinians in Gaza believed Israel had called a 48-hour "lull" in retaliatory attacks with Hamas when Israeli warplanes launched a massive bombardment of militant installations in the Gaza Strip, a UN official said.
Karen Abu Zayd, commissioner of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) which helps Palestinian refugees, raised the possible violation of an informal truce in a video press conference yesterday with UN reporters from her base in Gaza.
Israel's UN Mission referred any comment on the reported lull to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office in Jerusalem.
Olmert's office did not answer telephone calls for comment today early morning.
Abu Zayd said Palestinians in Gaza were surprised when Israeli warplanes sent more than 100 tons of bombs crashing down on key security installations in Hamas-ruled Gaza starting Saturday morning because it was in the middle of the lull.
The offensive began eight days after a six-month truce between Israel and the militants expired.
During that time, the Israeli army said Palestinian militants fired some 300 rockets and mortars at Israeli targets, and 10 times that number over the past year.
Israel had sent mixed signals on Friday regarding its plans for Gaza.
Israeli defense officials said politicians had approved a large-scale incursion into the territory.
But at the same time, Israel appeared open to international pressure against an invasion, prying open its border with Gaza to allow deliveries of humanitarian aid.