Advertisement

Palestinian and Israeli leaders agree to long-term Gaza ceasefire

Palestinian and Israeli leaders have reached an agreement for a long-term ceasefire in the Gaza c...
Newstalk
Newstalk

15.14 26 Aug 2014


Share this article


Palestinian and Israeli leader...

Palestinian and Israeli leaders agree to long-term Gaza ceasefire

Newstalk
Newstalk

15.14 26 Aug 2014


Share this article


Palestinian and Israeli leaders have reached an agreement for a long-term ceasefire in the Gaza conflict, according to Egyptian officials.

Israel has reportedly agreed to ease its blockade of Gaza to allow relief supplies and building materials in.

A Hamas spokesman has said the "open-ended" ceasefire has been agreed to end the seven week long war that has led to the deaths of more than 2,000 people.

Advertisement

The spokesman said Israel had agreed to ease its blockade of Gaza to allow relief supplies and building materials into the territory. Another militant group Islamic Jihad also confirmed the terms.

Talks on more complex issues, including Hamas' demand to reopen Gaza's airport and seaport, would begin in a month, it was claimed.

Israel had launched an air and ground offensive on Gaza to try to stop rocket fire by Hamas and other militant groups, and potential attacks through border tunnels.

Overnight in the Palestinian territory, several more people died and more than 20 were injured in multiple airstrikes, which followed rocket attacks.

At least 2,133 Palestinians have been killed in the latest conflict as well as 68 Israelis, all but four of them soldiers.

If the terms of the ceasefire were confirmed, it would effectively mean Hamas settled for terms similar to those that ended more than a week of fighting with Israel in 2012.

Under those terms, Israel promised to ease restrictions gradually, while Hamas promised to halt rocket fire from Gaza at Israel.

The truce held, but Gaza's border blockade remained largely intact. Israel and Egypt imposed the blockade in 2007, after Hamas seized Gaza by force in 2007.

Under the restrictions, virtually all of Gaza's 1.8 million people cannot trade or travel, and only a few thousand are able to leave the coastal territory every month.

Gershon Baskin is founder of the Israel/Palestine Centre for Research and Information, as well as a former go between for Hamas and Israel.

He told the Right Hook here on Newstalk from Jerusalem that the ceasefire will last one month and allow for further negotiations on a more long-term solution.


Share this article


Read more about

News

Most Popular