Israel takes pause in offensive

GAZA CITY, Gaza (CNN) - For a fifth day, the Israeli military paused for
a three-hour break from its assault on Gaza to allow residents to pick up
humanitarian supplies, a Defense Ministry spokesman said Monday.

The halt in attacks started at 10 a.m. (3 a.m. ET) and was set to end at
1 p.m. (6 a.m. ET.) Israel will allow in 160 trucks of humanitarian aid into
the Palestinian territory through the Kerem Shalom and Karni crossings, Defense
Ministry spokesman Peter Lerner said.

Despite an Israeli official's assessment that the military operation may
be in its final days, Israeli warplanes continued to bombard Gaza overnight and
into the day Monday. An eyewitness reported Israeli airstrikes on smuggling
tunnels under the border with Egypt.

The Israeli military says its air and ground operation is aimed at
stopping rocket fire from the Hamas-ruled territory, but militants have
continued to launch rockets and mortar shells into southern Israel.

At least 14 rockets were fired into Israel on Monday, many between 12
p.m. and 1 p.m. towards Sderot, Ofakim and Ashkelon, an Israeli police
spokesman said.

One rocket landed on a house in Ashkelon, causing damage but no injuries,
an Israeli ambulance services spokesman said.