Israel Officially Approves Gaza Truce

Israel early on Friday officially announced its approval of a 72-hour humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.



United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and United States Secretary of State John Kerry announced earlier that the Palestinians and the Israelis had agreed to the ceasefire and also to send their negotiators to the Egyptian capital Cairo to discuss a long-lasting agreement.



"Israel has accepted the UN/US proposal for a 72-hour humanitarian ceasefire beginning 8: 00am today," Israeli Prime Minister spokesman Ofir Gendelman said on his Twitter account.



This is the first official statement by Israel that it had accepted the ceasefire.



The Gaza-based Palestinian resistance movement Hamas said earlier that it had agreed to the ceasefire.



The movement said it accepted the truce in response to demands by the United Nations and also to allow the residents of the Gaza Strip to get their essential needs after three weeks of Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip.



Gaza has been attacked by Israel since July 7. Over 1458 Gazans were killed and 8375 others injured since the beginning of the Israeli offensive on the Palestinian enclave.



By Abdel-Raouf Arnaout



englishnews@aa.com.tr



www.aa.com.tr/en - Gazze