A seven hour humanitarian truce called by Israel in most parts of Gaza has just got underway.

But the truce will not apply in the southern town of Rafah where Israeli forces are involved in ongoing clashes.

This temporary ceasefire is to allow for humanitarian aid and for displaced Palestinians to return to their homes.

Yesterday, at least 10 people died after an airstrike on a UN school in Gaza.

The Israeli army says it was targeting three militants on a motorbike.

Meanwhile, Israeli army spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner announced the bulk of ground troops had now pulled out of Gaza.

He said the military had caused "substantial damage" to a network of tunnels, which Israel cited as justification for expanding its operation in the territory to include a ground offensive.

Lt Col Lerner emphasised, however, that the operation was not over.

Despite withdrawals elsewhere, the Israeli military presence remains in Rafah.

In a pre-dawn airstrike Israel took out a senior commander of the Islamic Jihad, a Palestinian group fighting alongside Hamas. He has been identified as Danyal Mansour, head of the group's northern command.

Israel shunned ceasefire talks in Cairo on Sunday, attended by Egyptian and Palestinian negotiators, as Hamas rockets continued to be fired from Gaza.

During the four-week conflict, 64 Israeli soldiers and three civilians have been killed.

The total Palestinian death toll now stands at almost 1,800.