A ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militants has taken effect in a bid to end nearly three days of violence that has left at least 43 people dead
The Iran-backed Palestinian Jihad militant group has fired hundreds of rockets at Israel in response, and the risk of the cross-border fighting turning into a full-fledged war remained so long as no truce was reached.
Read more: Gordon Brown demands emergency budget to avert ‘financial timebomb’ for millions of families Smoke could be seen from the strikes as thumps from their explosions rattled Gaza. Israeli air strikes and rocket fire followed for hours as sirens wailed in central Israel. As the sunset call to prayer sounded on Sunday night in Gaza, sirens wailed as far north as Tel Aviv.
Israel's Defence Ministry said mortars fired from Gaza struck the Erez border crossing into Israel, used by thousands of Gazans a day. The mortars damaged the roof and shrapnel hit the hall's entrance, the ministry said. The crossing has been closed amid the fighting.
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