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Israel and Gaza militants agree truce after clashes | Israel and Gaza militants agree truce after clashes |
(about 6 hours later) | |
A ceasefire is in place between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza after four days of deadly clashes. | A ceasefire is in place between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza after four days of deadly clashes. |
The Egyptian-mediated truce took effect at 01:00 local time (23:00 GMT Monday). | |
The recent violence "appears to be behind us," said Israeli Cabinet Minister Matan Vilnai. | The recent violence "appears to be behind us," said Israeli Cabinet Minister Matan Vilnai. |
At least 25 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli air strikes since Friday, reports say. Israel says 35 people were injured in Palestinian rocket attacks. | |
Officials from Hamas, which governs Gaza, told the BBC that Israel had agreed to stop targeting leaders of militant groups in Gaza, if rocket attacks on its southern cities ceased. | |
The number of Palestinian attacks dropped sharply after the truce went into effect overnight, and no major towns in southern Israel were targeted. | |
The Israeli military said a total of six rockets and mortars had hit, causing no casualties, and that there had been no Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip. | |
Previous ceasefire deals after earlier rounds of fighting have often taken a day or two to take effect fully. | |
The deal was brokered by the Egyptian authorities, who reportedly negotiated with each side separately. | The deal was brokered by the Egyptian authorities, who reportedly negotiated with each side separately. |
Four days of cross-border violence was triggered by an Israeli air strike on Friday that killed a senior leader of the militant group, the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC), who Israel said had been planning an attack. | Four days of cross-border violence was triggered by an Israeli air strike on Friday that killed a senior leader of the militant group, the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC), who Israel said had been planning an attack. |
Militants in Gaza responded quickly by unleashing a barrage of rockets towards southern Israel, triggering further air strikes. | Militants in Gaza responded quickly by unleashing a barrage of rockets towards southern Israel, triggering further air strikes. |
Most of those killed in Gaza were militants, but several civilians also died, Palestinian medical sources say. | Most of those killed in Gaza were militants, but several civilians also died, Palestinian medical sources say. |
Israel said the major reason for a relatively low number of injuries among its population was the country's new Iron Dome missile system, which shot down about 50 rockets launched from Gaza. | Israel said the major reason for a relatively low number of injuries among its population was the country's new Iron Dome missile system, which shot down about 50 rockets launched from Gaza. |
The US condemned the rocket attacks as "cowardly"; the Arab League called the Israeli air strikes "a massacre". | |
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed grave concern over the flare-up in violence, describing rocket attacks on Israeli civilians as "unacceptable" and urging Israel to "exercise maximum restraint". | |
Islamic Jihad and the PRC - and not Hamas - have said they have been behind the rocket attacks. | Islamic Jihad and the PRC - and not Hamas - have said they have been behind the rocket attacks. |
The increase in violence has alarmed world powers trying to bring peace talks between Palestinians and Israelis back on track. | The increase in violence has alarmed world powers trying to bring peace talks between Palestinians and Israelis back on track. |