Israel and Hamas agreed new truce
A joint US and UN statement urged all parties to "act with restraint" until the ceasefire begins. Talks on a more permanent truce are to start in Cairo. Since Israel began its offensive in Gaza on 8 July, 1,422 Palestinians have been killed, most of them civilians, according to Gaza's health ministry, BBC News reports. Fifty-six Israeli soldiers have died. Two Israeli civilians have been killed, as well as a Thai national in Israel. Israel says its operation in Gaza is designed to defend its population from attacks by Palestinian militants. 'Much needed reprieve' Officials from both Israel and Hamas confirmed that they had agreed to the ceasefire proposal brokered by the US and UN. "During this time the forces on the ground will remain in place," US Secretary of State John Kerry and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in the joint statement. "We urge all parties to act with restraint until this humanitarian ceasefire begins, and to fully abide by their commitments during the ceasefire," the statement added. "This ceasefire is critical to giving innocent civilians a much-needed reprieve from violence," the statement went on. It said that during the ceasefire period, civilians in Gaza would receive "urgently needed humanitarian relief, and the opportunity to carry out vital functions, including burying the dead, taking care of the injured and restocking food supplies". Israeli and Palestinian delegations will go to Cairo immediately for negotiations with the government of Egypt, at the invitation of Egypt, the statement said, with the aim of reaching "a durable ceasefire". Read more
