An Egyptian A-Azhar delegation visited Saturday Gaza City's Al-Shujaiya district after an open-ended ceasefire was declared last Tuesday.

Israel heavily pounded the residential neighbourhood 20 July during its 48-day offensive on Gaza, killing over 60 in the district on one day alone. Thousands were forced to leave their homes during Israeli shelling that destroyed hundreds of buildings.

Al-Azhar, the highest Sunni Muslim authority in the Arab world, sent the delegation headed by Saed Amer, secretary general of Al-Azhar's Fatwa Committee.

Amer gave a sermon to the people of Gaza following afternoon prayers, calling on Al-Shujaiya residents to have patience in their hardships.

An Egyptian-sponsored truce was reached Tuesday between Palestinian factions and Israel after nearly six weeks of Israeli attacks on Gaza.

Israel's assault on Gaza killed at least 2,133 Palestinians and wounded more than 11,000, according to Palestinian health officials and the United Nations.

The UN estimates that more than 17,000 Palestinian homes have been destroyed, leaving 100,000 people homeless.

On the Israeli side, 68 people were killed, all but four of them soldiers.