Israel said Sunday that it would open an emergency medical center this afternoon at the border with the Gaza Strip to provide treatment for wounded Palestinians.

The center, located at the Erez border crossing, is aimed to " treat uninvolved civilians from Gaza," said the welfare and health ministries in a joint statement.

The initiative is part of Israel's humanitarian efforts for Gaza's civilian population, it added.

According to the statement, the medical outlet will be operated by the Magen David Adom rescue service and "be fully equipped and staffed by medical personnel."

The statement stressed that "Israeli hospitals have been preparing to accept these new patients (from Gaza)."

The emergency medical center comes on the first day of a unilateral ceasefire Israel staged in the devastated coastal strip, during which Israeli troops would fire only in response to attacks from the Palestinian side.

However, Gazan rocket fire at southern Israel and exchange of fire inside the strip continued on Sunday morning.

Adding to the over 1,100 deaths in the Palestinian enclave, over 5,000 others have been injured during Israel's three-week- long massive onslaught, dubbed Operation Cast Lead.

Palestinian and UN officials have long been saying that Gazan hospitals are overwhelmed by so many patients and starved of medical supplies.

(Xinhua News Agency January 18, 2009)