Jerusalem – An Israeli official says Israel has accepted an Egyptian-brokered cease-fire plan to end a seven-week war against Islamic militants in the Gaza Strip.
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Egyptian state media reported the cease-fire was to begin at 7 p.m. local time (1600 GMT).
Despite the Egyptian announcement of the cease-fire, red alert sirens continued to be heard in Israel’s southern communities after 7 p.m. An Israeli civilian was killed by one of dozens of mortar shells fired at the Eshkol Regional Council just before the cease-fire was set to commence.
In Gaza, massive celebratory gunfire erupted after 7 p.m. Chants normally reserved for Muslim holidays could be heard from mosque loudspeakers.
Earlier, officials from Hamas and Islamic Jihad, the main groups fighting Israel, had said the cease-fire included an Israeli agreement to ease its blockade of Gaza to allow relief supplies and construction materials into the war-battered territory.
Talks on more complex issues, such as Hamas’ demand to build an airport and a seaport for Gaza, would begin in a month, said Ziad Nakhala, a senior Islamic Jihad official.
The details of the cease-fire would effectively mean Hamas and Islamic Jihad settled for terms that are similar to those that ended more than a week of fighting with Israel in 2012.
Under those terms, Israel promised to ease restrictions gradually, while Hamas pledged to halt rocket fire from Gaza at Israel. The truce held for long stretches, but Gaza’s border blockade also remained largely intact.
Even though it apparently had little to show for, Hamas declared victory.
“We are here today to declare the victory of the resistance, the victory of Gaza, with the help of God, and the steadfastness of our people and the noble resistance,” Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said in a news conference at Gaza’s Shifa Hospital.
Israel and Egypt imposed the blockade after Hamas seized Gaza by force in 2007. Under the restrictions, virtually all of Gaza’s 1.8 million people cannot trade or travel. Only a few thousand are able to leave the coastal territory every month.
During the war, Hamas had said it would only cease fire if the blockade is lifted.
However, Israeli pressure on the group has been escalating. Hamas is believed to be left with just one-third of its initial rocket arsenal of 10,000, while Israel says it has destroyed most of Hamas’ network of military attack tunnels.
Israeli strikes have destroyed or severely damaged more than 17,000 Gaza homes, according to United Nations estimates, leaving about 100,000 people homeless. The number of dead has also been rising steadily, reaching at least 2,140 by Tuesday, with more than 11,000 Gazans wounded since July 8, Palestinian health officials said.
On the Israeli side, 69 people have been killed, all but four of them soldiers. Thousands of Israelis living near Gaza have fled their homes, including in recent days when Gaza militants stepped up mortar fire on southern Israel.
what exactly will the Israeli innocent civilians who are the “sitting ducks” for the Hamas rockets , going to gain from this ceasefire??? NOTHING!!!!! On the contrary , they are being duped by the natanyahu administration that the rocket scenarios are here to stay and learn to live with it!!!! UNREAL!!!
What other nation on earth has to live in constant fear and terror like the innocent Israelis??? ALL OF THIS IS ON NATANYAHU’S HEAD FOR NOT GOING IN AND FINISHING THE JOB BY TOTALLY DEMOLISHING HAMAS AND ITS TERROR COHORTS!!!
I don’t understand why Israel sacrificed 64 soldiers for this. How can Israel possibly stop Hamas from rebuilding tunnels and re-arming – this time with bigger and better missiles? We will be back to this in 2 years with more lethal consequences.
Only Bibi can snatch defeat from the jaws of vistory.
Like Dr. Eliezer N. told me, ( a man with a very high position in govt )
Bibi is nothing more than a lying politician. This proves it.
I will be the first to “Second Guess” him.
As long as Israel does not insist on a disarmament by Hamas, Israel lost and since Hamas lives on to fight another day and can continue to re-arm Hamas wins!
Hamas can legitimately claim victory. Its losses don’t matter as Hamas cares nothing for the people.
Are they required to disarm? NO!
Can they re-arm to fight and inflict losses on Israel? YES!
HAMAS WINS!
Why did they accept a cease fire to a war they didn’t start, or are losing?? Anyone? Maybe it’s time for a real man like Avigdor Lieberman to become PM for awhile?
If this is a Hamas victory, what would defeat look like?
Very easy to sit in Brooklyn and criticize Netanyahu. This man has stood up against Obama and most of the world and YOU have the chutzpah to ask questions?
Have faith in Israel and Hashem and all will end well.
How not , when chamas is and will be victorious each and every time, as zionism -her ideology , it is severance of the very sustenance to the seed of abraham issac and jacob , as it is merely to disconnect and render a ” timeless ” affection between creation and its creator into a existence of ” here and now” ; whereas its opponent and where they get their sustenance and its beyond the here and now – its an ideology rooted from their ruthless lineage !