Israel begins Gaza attacks lull

Israel has halted military operations in Gaza for three hours in the first of a daily, planned ceasefire, it says.

An Israeli spokesman said it would allow Gazans to "get medical attention, get supplies... whatever they need".

There were at least two air strikes on Gaza in the first few minutes of the ceasefire, and correspondents say it is unclear if it covers all of Gaza.

Israel's move came as pressure built on it and the Palestinian militant group Hamas to accept a ceasefire deal.

The plan, backed by the UN and the US and proposed by Egypt and France, calls for an immediate ceasefire.

Responding to the proposal, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Israel viewed talks with Egypt "positively". Israel's security cabinet is meeting to consider the deal, but ministers are also expected to discuss expanding operations in Gaza.

Blockade

Israel's military said the three-hour pause in operations to create "humanitarian corridors" for supplies and fuel would happen every day.

A Hamas spokesman told Al Arabiya television that the group would not launch any missiles at Israeli targets during the lull.

Israel has been criticised by aid agencies who have warned of a mounting humanitarian crisis for the 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza, who are unable to escape from the conflict because of Israel's blockade.

However Christopher Gunness, a spokesman for the UN relief agency Unwra, said the move did not go far enough.

"When you are trying to feed 750,000 people a day in Gaza as we are, you need a permanent ceasefire. You can't do that in a three-hour window," he said.

It follows one of the deadliest days since the offensive began last month, with more than 130 people killed on Tuesday.

Overnight, Israeli forces launched 40 fresh air strikes in Gaza, while Israeli media reports say nine rockets were fired into southern Israel from Gaza early on Wednesday.

Little official detail has been given about the French-Egyptian ceasefire proposal, but diplomats say it centres around measures to halt weapons smuggling from Egypt into Gaza, coupled with moves to ease the blockade.