PHOTO: Men salvage books from a mosque hit by an Israeli airstrike in the Zeitoun neighborhood in Gaza City (AP)

UPDATE 1730 GMT: The UN Human Rights Council has named the members of its commission enquiring into rights abuses in Gaza.

The panel will include British-Lebanese human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin, Senegalese human rights expert Doudou Diene, and William Schabas, a Canadian international law and human rights scholar.

Israel had already denounced the creation of the commission, announced on July 23, calling the UN Human Rights Council “a kangaroo court in which the results of its ‘investigations’ are predetermined.”

Today the Foreign Ministry said the appointment of Schabas as chiarman proves beyond any doubt that Israel cannot expect justice from this body, and that the committee’s report is already written”.

The US also dismissed the commission saying that, while there are incidents in Gaza that should be investigated, there are ways to do so that are not one-sided.

See Gaza Interview: “Where You See Human Beings, Israelis See Enemies” — Sociologist Eva Illouz

UPDATE 1100 GMT: The Rafah border crossing in southern Gaza, which had been closed by Egypt, has been opened for aid, Gazans seeking medical treatment, and foreign passport holders, according to Maan News Agency.

UPDATE 1040 GMT: Having failed to block Israel’s return to ceasefire talks in Egypt, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman is pressing against any negotiation of proposals by the Palestinian delegation:

(We) cannot allow even the slightest impression that it pays to fight Israel.

The end result of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, which began with the kidnapping and murder of the three teenagers and continued with the Gaza campaign, cannot end with Hamas leaving with the feeling that terror pays.

UPDATE 0600 GMT: A lengthy article by Haaretz’s diplomatic correspondent Barak Ravid — based on leaks from Ministers and their offices — adds fuel to the fire of a Cabinet uneasy with Prime Minister Netanyahu:

(Last Tuesday) when Economy Minister Naftali Bennett received a phone call about the cease-fire from National Security Adviser Yossi Cohen, Bennett quickly stated his opposition to it, and then found out that this was not a vote but simply a report. Justice Minister Tzipi Livni said she was also surprised by the phone call, which she received from Netanyahu’s bureau.

Just three days before, she had taken part in a security cabinet meeting in which it was decided not to negotiate with Hamas, and she had been giving constant interviews about it. Other ministers said they only heard about the cease-fire talks from Netanyahu’s advisers after they had already seen the report on television….

Last night (Sunday), when Israel agreed to another 72-hour cease-fire proposed by Egypt, the same telephone calls were made, with no debate about the move. “We are almost completely blind when it comes to the Egyptian-brokered negotiations,” a minister said. “Since last Tuesday evening, I have no idea what’s happening. Netanyahu works alone with Ya’alon and a few advisers, and does not consult the ministers.”

Another minister added: “When an agreement is presented, the prime minister will bring it to the security cabinet as a done deal. If we make comments, they’ll tell us they’ve already said yes to Egyptian President al-Sissi and if we say no, it will create a political crisis.”

UPDATE 0550 GMT: A senior UN aid official has called for a lifting of the Israeli blockade on Gaza.

James Rawley, the top UN humanitarian official for the Palestinian territories, said:

The blockade must be lifted not only to get material into Gaza in order to rebuild it but to allow Gaza to do what it was doing very well just 10 years ago, to trade with the outside world.

Gaza has a tremendous potential. People are very entrepreneurial, they’re well educated, they have markets abroad, in Israel and the West Bank. The blockade has to be lifted in order that Gaza can thrive.

Rawley said Israel’s security concerns must be addressed, but he warned that more fighting was likely without a lifting of the blockade:

Not only will we see very little in the way of reconstruction, but I am afraid that the conditions are in place for us to have another round of violence like we’re seeing now.

It would be likely….It doesn’t make me feel good to say that.

UPDATE 0545 GMT: Turkey has begun aerial evacuation of some of the almost 10,000 wounded in Gaza.

The first flight carried four victims, including a child.

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu posted photos on Twitter, soon after an announcement by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in an election victory speech on Sunday night:

A 72-hour ceasefire took hold in Gaza on Monday morning, as Israel — despite a divided Security Cabinet — returned its delegation to talks in Egypt for a halt to the 34-day war.

The ceasefire began at midnight after a Sunday of intense negotiation in Cairo. Palestinian representatives agreed during the day to the stoppage, but the Israelis said they would see if rocket fire was halted early this morning before acceding.

The Israeli decision came amid signs of tension between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Ministers which had brought the talks to the verge of breakdown.

West Jerusalem had said early Sunday that it would not return to the negotiations, and four of the eight Ministers in the Security Cabinet continued to press on Sunday night for expanded military operations to reoccupy Gaza.

Economy Minister Naftali Bennett led the criticism of Netanyahu:

The cease-fire is a green light for Hamas to start shooting at us in 72 hours….You don’t need to negotiate with a terror organization like Hamas. You need to treat Hamas like an organization firing rockets at us.

Israel had withdrawn its negotiators on Friday, just before an earlier 72-hour ceasefire expired.

Despite the return to talks, there is little sign of a breakthrough. Israel continues to oppose Palestinian conditions for an end to the blockade of Gaza, the opening of a seaport and/or airport, and the release of detainees from Israeli prisons. Instead, West Jerusalem is insisting on the demilitarization of the territory.

The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military branch of Hamas, warned again this morning: