Israel has extended a ceasefire in Gaza until 21:00 GMT and is considering a 24-hour pause, officials say.

Palestinian group Hamas is yet to respond to the move. Israel said three rockets and three mortars were fired from Gaza after a 12-hour truce ended.

Gazans had been using the pause to recover bodies and gather supplies.

More than 1,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, and 42 Israelis, two civilians, have been killed since Israel launched the Gaza offensive.

About 5,870 Palestinians have been wounded in the 19 days of fighting, Gaza health officials say.

'Mortars fired'

The original truce expired at 20:00 local time (17:00 GMT).

A senior Israeli official told the BBC that the UN had requested a 24-hour extension to the ceasefire.

"At the first stage, the cabinet approved, in a phone vote, four more hours until midnight, in order to allow the cabinet to convene and discuss the UN's request," the official said.

"The IDF [Israel Defense Forces] maintains the humanitarian pause, during which, the IDF's activity to neutralise the [Hamas] tunnels will continue."

Some parts of Gaza are completely destroyed

Many Palestinian homes have been destroyed by Israeli air strikes

Palestinian fighters have been firing rockets from Gaza into Israel

Mahmoud Al-Zahar, a senior Hamas member, said the group had not yet agreed to an extension, and that "any ceasefire agreement must befit the sacrifice and price paid by the Palestinian people in Gaza, and the firm stance by the resistance", Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported.