Diplomacy

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After Last-Minute Barrage, Open-Ended Ceasefire Begins

by TheTower.org Staff |

Palestinian officials announced today that a “long-term” ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas has been agreed to. The Israeli government confirmed that it has signed off on the truce, which went  into effect at 7 PM local time.

The agreement, which was brokered through Egyptian mediation, comes on the 50th day of Operation Protective Edge. The Times of Israel, quoting Israel’s Channel 2, reports that the text of the ceasefire agreement “is the same Egyptian proposal from a month ago calling for an immediate halt to hostilities, with negotiations to follow after that…The deal has been accepted now by Hamas in Gaza, having been rejected previously due to objections from political bureau chief Khaled Mashaal.”

Despite the devastation brought by Hamas’ recalcitrance, Moussa Abu Marzouk, a Hamas spokesman, wrote on his Facebook page that the ceasefire agreement was a “victory for the resistance.”

Haaretz quoted a senior Israeli defense official saying that “Hamas has been under heavy internal pressure to reach cease-fire, due to the price the Gaza Strip and the organization itself paid” and that “Israel has dealt Hamas a critical blow.” It also reported that negotiations will continue over issues such as the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip, the release of Palestinian funds, and Hamas demands for an airport and the release of prisoners.

Earlier today, one Israeli was killed and five injured after a mortar struck Kibbutz Nirim on the Gaza border, and 28 were injured when a separate missile struck a home in Ashkelon.

In the minutes leading up to the 7 PM ceasefire deadline, rockets continued to be fired at Israel, with loud booms being heard as far away as Tel Aviv. The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, which operates Hamas’ military activities, took credit for the rockets in a tweet that was later taken down.

[Photo: Edi Israel/ Flash90]

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