As rockets continued to be fired on southern Israel from Gaza today, causing at least two injuries, and Israeli missiles brought down buildings in Gaza where Hamas leaders were reportedly hiding, Hamas announced that it has accepted a long-term, Egyptian-brokered ceasefire with Israel.
Senior Israeli officials told the Jerusalem Post that cabinet ministers were updated by phone that Israel would accept the cease-fire, even while air raid sirens sounded in the south.
The ceasefire is to take effect today at 7 p.m. Israeli time (noon EST).
According to The Jerusalem Post, Palestinian officials said the ceasefire calls for an indefinite halt to seven weeks of hostilities, the immediate opening of Gaza's blockaded crossings with Israel and Egypt and a widening of the enclave's fishing zone in the Mediterranean.
Under a second stage, which would begin a month later, Israel and the Palestinians will discuss the construction of a Gaza seaport and an Israeli release of Hamas prisoners in the West Bank.
"An agreement has been reached between the two sides and we are awaiting the announcement from Cairo to determine the zero hour for implementation," said Hamas spokesman, Sami Abu Zuhri.
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