Hamas said Monday Israel had breached a 72-hour humanitarian truce hours after it began Friday and was now trying to foil the Cairo talks.

"The Israeli side is trying to foil the meeting in Cairo by violating the (72-hour) truce," said senior Hamas official, and member of the Palestinian delegation, Ezzat al-Rishq.

He told reporters that Israel is staying away from the talks "because it does not want to bear responsibility for the massacres it has committed" in Gaza.

"Whether the delegation comes or not... it will not run away from its responsibilities. The Palestinian people will pursue them at the ICC."

On Friday, a planned 72-hour truce was broken by Israel within hours of taking effect.

More than 1,820 Palestinians have so far been killed and over 9,400 others injured since the Israeli military first launched its offensive against the Gaza Strip on July 8.

RA/SHI