Israel and militant factions in the Gaza Strip have agreed to an Egyptian-brokered truce to end four days of cross-border violence in which 25 Palestinians have been killed, a senior Egyptian security official said today.
The official said both sides had "agreed to end the current operations", with Israel giving an unusual undertaking to "stop assassinations", and an overall agreement "to begin a comprehensive and mutual calm".
There was no immediate comment from either side on the agreement. Previous ceasefire deals after earlier rounds of fighting have often got off to a shaky start.
Israeli media quoted Israeli officials as reiterating the longstanding policy that Israel would "answer quiet with quiet" but stopped short of providing any guarantees to withhold fire in response to rocket attacks.
Three rockets fired from the Gaza Strip struck southern Israel overnight, following the report of a ceasefire agreement. There were no injuries or damages reported from the rockets, an Israeli army spokesman said. Israel did not launch any military strikes against Gaza overnight, the army said.
Israel signalled earlier it would not halt what it calls "preventive targeting" operations aimed at stopping rocket fire and cross-border attacks. "The Israeli army will continue to attack the terrorists in Gaza with strength and determination," prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu told MPs in his Likud party on Sunday.
But while Israel was keen to bar rocket fire at its home front there seemed to be little public enthusiasm for waging a longer military campaign reminiscent of a 2008-2009 offensive in which 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis were killed.
A Palestinian official close to the talks said "the factions are committed," alluding to the Islamic Jihad and Popular Resistance Committees, who were most active in the fighting, but that these groups were waiting to see how Israel would respond.
The truce agreement also followed appeals from world powers - the United States, the United Nations, France, European Union and the Arab League - for both sides to exercise restraint.Israel said Gaza militants had fired about 150 rockets at its southern towns and cities from Gaza since fighting flared on Friday after Israel killed a senior militant it accused of plotting to attack Israel from Egyptian territory.
Eight Israelis were injured by the rockets, dozens of which were shot down harmlessly by Israel's "Iron Dome" missile interceptor system. Twenty of the Palestinians killed since fighting flared in the Hamas-controlled enclave were militants and five were civilians, according to medical officials.
At least 80 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been wounded in the violence which also paralysed life in much of southern Israel, forcing schools to close and hundreds of thousands to remain indoors.
Reuters