GAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Egypt has proposed a ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza that would start today, ending a week of cross-border warfare, and be followed by talks to prevent further hostilities.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu planned to convene his decision-making security cabinet today to discuss the proposed truce, an Israeli official said.
The official appeared to put a positive spin on the Egyptian initiative, saying Hamas had been weakened military by Israeli air and sea bombardments.
Hamas’s initial reaction was more dismissive.
Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza, said the Islamist group had not received an official ceasefire proposal, and he repeated its position that demands it has made must be met before it lays down its weapons.
“Such a proposal was not presented to us so that we can study and it, and therefore it does not commit us to doing anything,” he said.
Gaza health officials said at least 180 Palestinians, many of them civilians, have been killed in the worst flare-up of Israeli-Palestinian violence in two years.
There have been no fatalities in Israel, largely due to its Iron Dome anti-missile system, but the frequent rocket salvoes have disrupted life and sent hundreds of people racing to shelters.
Under the proposal announced by Egypt’s Foreign Ministry “de-escalation arrangements” would take effect at 0600 GMT today, pending implementation of a full ceasefire within 12 hours of that time.
High-level delegations from Israel and the Palestinian factions would hold separate talks in Cairo within 48 hours to consolidate the ceasefire and conclude “confidence-building measures.”
