Hamas has finally responded positively to the unilateral ceasefire initiated by Israel and announced that it has agreed to a week-long ceasefire.
Yahoo news: ‘Militants in Hamas-ruled Gaza agreed Sunday to a week-long ceasefire with Israel, after three weeks of violence that Palestinian medics say has killed more than 1,000 people and turned Gaza’s streets into battlegrounds.
Sunday’s announcement came about 12 hours after Israel declared its own unilateral ceasefire.
Hamas’s Syrian-based deputy leader, speaking for the militant Palestinian factions, said on Syrian television that the ceasefire will give Israel time to withdraw and open all the border crossings to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.
‘We the Palestinian resistance faction declare a ceasefire from our side in Gaza and we confirm our stance that the enemy troops must withdraw from Gaza within a week, deputy Hamas leader Moussa Abu Marzouk said on Syrian television.
Inside Gaza, residents have started to go back to their homes to see what was left after the three-week of continued rocket and mortar attacks by Israel forces.
The next few days will make clear if the ceasefire will hold and a new agreement for a lasting peace will come out.
Israel declared earlier that any action by Hamas that is violates the ceasefire arrangement will lead to the resumption of military attack on Gaza targets. Palestinian militants on the other hand said that Israel must pull out its troops from Gaza and open all blockades for free passage.
The 3-week old war has claimed more than 1,000 lives about half of them civilians and children and injuring thousands of Gaza residents.
Israel reported 13 deaths on their side and several more injured.
Diplomats from neighboring countries are working double time to hammer out a long-term agreement that will bring lasting peace for Israel and Palestinian people.