Gaza residents return to scenes of devastation from Israel-Hamas fighting

Thousands of Gaza residents who had fled Israel-Hamas fighting streamed back to devastated border areas during a lull yesterday to find large-scale destruction: scores of homes were pulverised, wreckage blocked roads and power cables dangled in the streets.

The 12-hour truce, which Israel said has been extended by another four hours, was the only apparent outcome from last week's high-level mediation mission by US Secretary of State John Kerry and UN chief Ban Ki-moon. They failed to broker a week-long ceasefire as they had hoped. Instead, Israel's defence minister warned it might soon expand the ground operation in Gaza significantly.

In the northern town of Beit Hanoun, residents encountered widespread destruction. Most had fled days earlier, following Israeli warnings that the town would be shelled.

Siham Kafarneh, 37, sat on the steps of a small grocery, weeping. The mother of eight said the home she had moved into two months earlier and spent 10 years saving for had been destroyed.

"Nothing is left. Everything I have is gone," she said.

At least 1,000 Palestinians, mainly civilians, have been killed and more than 6,000 wounded over the past 19 days, Palestinian officials say. Israeli strikes have also destroyed hundreds of homes and displaced tens of thousands of people who have fled the fighting.