Region | Palestinian Territories
Israel confirms ceasefire with Hamas
Israel says the truce deal is set to begin on Thursday.
- Agencies
- Published: 10:56 June 18, 2008
- Image Credit: Gulf News archive
- Israel will next week agree to ease the blockade of the Gaza Strip, if fighting ceases.
Occupied Jerusalem: Israel confirmed on Wednesday that a ceasefire with the Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip will begin on Thursday.
If the fighting indeed ceases, Israel will next week agree to ease the blockade of the Gaza Strip, Israeli defence officials said.
A senior Israeli defence official said that "an understanding" had been reached.
Amos Gilad told Israeli media that Israel was prepared to give a ceasefire a chance - while continuing preparations for possible military action should it fall apart.
In tandem with the easements, talks on efforts to release an Israeli soldier held by Hamas will be intensified, the officials said on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the talks.
Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad hoped the Gaza blockade would soon be lifted.
"Everybody knows the situation in Gaza, where 1.5 million people living there are absolutely miserable," Fayyad said. "Our hope is that (the ceasefire) would lead to an easing of those difficult conditions."
Egypt, the mediator of the talks, announced the agreement on Tuesday, saying it will begin at 6am local time on Thursday. Hamas confirmed the deal shortly afterward.
As part of the deal, Egypt has committed to stop the smuggling of arms and weapons into the Gaza Strip, the officials said. A US military engineering corps is slated to aid the Egyptian efforts, the officials said.
If Israel determines that Egyptian anti-smuggling efforts are serious, then Hamas, Egypt and European officials will begin talks on the opening the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza, the officials said.
The truce was meant to end a violent cycle of Palestinian rocket attacks that have killed seven Israelis over the past year and Israeli reprisals that have killed more than 400 Palestinians.
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