The Briefing Room
General Category => World News => Topic started by: EC on August 27, 2014, 06:28:50 am
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A long-term ceasefire has been agreed between Israel and Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip.
The truce, ending seven weeks of fighting that has left more than 2,200 people - mostly Palestinians - dead, was brokered by Egypt and began at 19:00 local time (16:00 GMT).
Hamas said the deal represented a "victory for the resistance".
Israel is to ease its blockade of Gaza to allow in aid and building materials, Israeli officials said.
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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas declared his acceptance of the truce on state TV
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Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev: "Let's hope that this ceasefire holds"
Indirect talks on more contentious issues, including Israel's call for militant groups in Gaza to disarm, will begin in Cairo within a month.
The US gave the full backing to the deal, with State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki saying: "We strongly support the ceasefire announcement."
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also welcomed the truce. But in a statement via his spokesman, Mr Ban warned that "any peace effort that does not tackle the root causes of the crisis will do little more than set the stage for the next cycle of violence".
The breakthrough came as both Israel and the Palestinians continued to trade fire.
A last-minute volley of mortar shells from Gaza killed an Israeli civilian and wounded six others in Eshkol Regional Council, medics told the BBC.
Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-28939350
This was posted02:27 EST. Any bets that by the time most of you read it, the ceasefire has alrady been broken?
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A long-term ceasefire has been agreed between Israel and Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip.
The truce, ending seven weeks of fighting that has left more than 2,200 people - mostly Palestinians - dead, was brokered by Egypt and began at 19:00 local time (16:00 GMT).
Hamas said the deal represented a "victory for the resistance".
Israel is to ease its blockade of Gaza to allow in aid and building materials, Israeli officials said.
Jump media player
Media player help
Out of media player. Press enter to return or tab to continue.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas declared his acceptance of the truce on state TV
Jump media player
Media player help
Out of media player. Press enter to return or tab to continue.
Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev: "Let's hope that this ceasefire holds"
Indirect talks on more contentious issues, including Israel's call for militant groups in Gaza to disarm, will begin in Cairo within a month.
The US gave the full backing to the deal, with State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki saying: "We strongly support the ceasefire announcement."
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also welcomed the truce. But in a statement via his spokesman, Mr Ban warned that "any peace effort that does not tackle the root causes of the crisis will do little more than set the stage for the next cycle of violence".
The breakthrough came as both Israel and the Palestinians continued to trade fire.
A last-minute volley of mortar shells from Gaza killed an Israeli civilian and wounded six others in Eshkol Regional Council, medics told the BBC.
Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-28939350
This was posted02:27 EST. Any bets that by the time most of you read it, the ceasefire has alrady been broken?
You took the words out of my mouth.