Gaza City - A spokesman for Hamas rejected Wednesday the 3- hour humanitarian lull in in the fighting in the Gaza Strip, set up to allow residents of the salient to stock up on vital necessities.

Muhammad Nazzal, a member of Hamas politburo, told al-Jazeera from Damascus that the pause was "a ridiculous step" because, he said, "three hours are not enough for people to move and stock up on supplies."

He said Israel aimed to use the lull to "to cover up its crimes" and to "dampen down Arab and international criticism."

Israel instituted the humanitarian ceasefire at 1 pm (1100 GMT) Wednesday, to enable food and other necessities to reach Gaza Strip civilians caught up in the fighting between Israeli troops and Gazan militants.

Despite Nazzal's comments, an Israeli military spokeswoman said she did not know of any PAlestinian rockets from southern Israel since 1pm local time. (dpa)