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| Israel and Hamas agree ceasefire | |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Israel and militant group Hamas have agreed on a truce starting on Thursday, Palestinian and Israeli officials have told the BBC. | |
| Israeli officials confirmed the start of the truce, but said Israel was "looking to see if this is serious". | |
| A Hamas official said he was confident all militant groups in Gaza would abide by the agreement, brokered by Egypt. | |
| Earlier at least six Palestinians were reportedly killed in Israeli air strikes in southern Gaza. | |
| Israel said it had targeted "terror operatives". | |
| Islamic Jihad said a missile struck a car carrying five of its members near Khan Younis. A sixth man died in a separate strike nearby. | Islamic Jihad said a missile struck a car carrying five of its members near Khan Younis. A sixth man died in a separate strike nearby. |
| The truce is due to come into effect at 0600 (0300 GMT) on Thursday. | |
| This stage of the deal envisages a halt to hostilities and a partial reopening of Gaza's borders. | |
| A second stage of the plan would focus on the return of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit and on a deal to reopen the main Rafah crossing into Egypt. | A second stage of the plan would focus on the return of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit and on a deal to reopen the main Rafah crossing into Egypt. |
| Hamas official Ahmed Yousef told the BBC he hoped that the ceasefire would lead to a further opening of the crossing points from Israel into Gaza, and an increase in the number of supplies. | Hamas official Ahmed Yousef told the BBC he hoped that the ceasefire would lead to a further opening of the crossing points from Israel into Gaza, and an increase in the number of supplies. |
| He said that the aim now was to push ahead talks on a prisoner exchange, as well as a new round of talks in Cairo between the rival Palestinian factions of Fatah and Hamas. | He said that the aim now was to push ahead talks on a prisoner exchange, as well as a new round of talks in Cairo between the rival Palestinian factions of Fatah and Hamas. |