In spite of the good news that Hamas welcomed in Cairo an Egyptian-brokered initiative on a ceasefire, the Israeli offensive on Gaza continued on Wednesday, leaving so far 1,017 people killed.

Gaza emergency chief Mo'aweya Hassanein said on Wednesday night that the Israeli army killed on Wednesday 28 Palestinians and wounded about 80 others, adding that the death toll since Dec. 27 has hit 1,017 with more than 4,600 wounded.

Palestinians carry the body of Basem Abed al Nabe, 11, during a funeral at the Jabaliya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, Jan. 14, 2009. Three members from Abed al Nabe family, Qasem, 6, and Basem, 11, and Saddam, 17, were killed during an Israeli missile strike outside their house in Jabaliya. [Wissam Nassar/Xinhua]

Earlier on Wednesday, the Gaza-based news agency of "Ramattan" said that Hamas has accepted the Egyptian initiative of a ceasefire between the group and Israel, but Israeli warplanes continued striking several targets in the blockaded enclave.

Hassanein said that in an Israeli airstrike on a building north of Gaza City, two people were killed and 17 wounded, three of them are members of the Palestinian firefighting department.

Relatives of Abed al Nabe family mourn during a funeral at the Jabaliya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, Jan. 14, 2009.[Wissam Nassar/Xinhua]

The Palestinian Popular Resistance Committees said in a statement that two of its fighters were killed in a gun battle with Israeli soldiers east of Gaza City. The group said their attack was launched with the Islamic Jihad militants.

Local radio stations reported on Wednesday evening that Israeli F-16 warplanes struck Gaza stadium in central Gaza City with several missiles, adding that huge explosions were heard in the city but no injuries were reported.

Medics in Rafah town in southern Gaza Strip said that six Palestinians were seriously injured in an airstrike on the town, adding that Israeli warplanes kept striking on the border route area between the town and Egypt.

Meanwhile, Hamas movement leader in Gaza Salah el-Bardaweel told reporters in Cairo on Wednesday evening that his movement has presented its views on the ceasefire offer to the Egyptian side, adding "Egypt would convey our response to Israel and we will wait for the Israeli response."

(Xinhua News Agency January 15, 2009)