Hamas, Israel Agreed on Extended Cease-Fire: Palestinian Official
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - A senior Hamas official says a cease-fire has been reached with Israel to end a seven-week war that has killed more than 2,000 people in the Gaza Strip.
The official said the deal calls for an “open-ended” cease-fire, and an Israeli agreement to ease its blockade of Gaza to allow relief supplies and construction materials into the war-battered territory.
Talks on deeper issues, such as Hamas’ demand to reopen Gaza’s airport and seaport, would begin in a month.
The official said Egypt planned an announcement later Tuesday. He spoke on condition of anonymity pending the announcement.
There was no immediate Israeli comment, AP reported.
Israel launched a new wave of military strikes on the besieged Gaza Strip after tensions raged between Palestinians and Israelis following the burning alive of a Palestinian teen in East al-Quds by Israeli settlers.
16-year-old Mohammed Abu Khdeir’s death sparked a wave of protests across the Palestinian territories in July.
It came a few days after the Israeli military found the dead bodies of three settler teenagers who had been allegedly kidnapped in the occupied West Bank.
Israel was quick to point the finger of blame at the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas. The resistance group, however, strongly rejected the allegations, saying Tel Aviv, which was outraged with the formation of a Palestinian unity government, was looking for a pretext to launch a new aggression against the people of Gaza.
On July 8, Israel launched air strikes on the Gaza Strip. After 10 days of bombardment of the enclave from the air and sea, the Israeli forces started a ground operation in the Gaza Strip.
On Monday, two Palestinian people wounded previously died of their injuries, raising the Gaza death toll since the July 8 start of the Israeli offensive to 2,135 with 10,915 wounded, according to the emergency services.
