Israel, Palestine agree on long-term ceasefire in Gaza
Israel and Palestinian militant groups in Gaza agreed on a long-term ceasefire yesterday, ending seven weeks of fighting that has left more than 2,200 people dead.
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| Palestinians celebrate the ceasefire agreement. |
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Palestinian officials said Egypt's ceasefire proposal called for a permanent cessation of hostilities, the immediate opening of Gaza's borders with Israel and Egypt, and an expansion of Gaza's Mediterranean fishing zone.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced his acceptance of the ceasefire on national television.
The Islamist militant movement Hamas said the deal was a "victory for the resistance".
Under the terms of the ceasefire, Israel will ease its blockade of Gaza to allow the delivery of aid and construction materials, Israeli officials said.
Indirect talks on other disputes, including Israel's call on armed groups in Gaza to give up their weapons, will begin in Cairo, Egypt within a month.
Israel and Palestinian militant groups will also discuss building a seaport and an airport in Gaza and releasing about 100 prisoners.
Israel and Egypt are said to be demanding guarantees that weapons are not being smuggled into Gaza.
The US has voiced its support for the agreement, with US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki saying: "We strongly support the ceasefire declaration."
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also welcomed the ceasefire. But in a statement issued through his spokesman, Mr Ban warned that "any peace effort that fails to address the root causes of the crisis will be of no avail and will only create the conditions for further violence".
End of 7-week military campaign
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| Most of those killed in the fighting in Gaza were civilians. |
Israel launched an offensive against the Gaza Strip on July 8 to end rocket fire from Gaza into its territory.
The campaign was later expanded to destroy tunnels used by Palestinian militant movements for cross-border attacks.
At least 2,140 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Gaza, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
Israeli officials said 64 of their soldiers were killed in the operation, along with three Israeli civilians and a Thai citizen.
According to BBC
