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Gaza ceasefire comes into force Gaza ceasefire comes into force
(about 5 hours later)
A ceasefire has begun in Gaza after several days of fierce fighting between the two main Palestinian factions - Hamas and Fatah. A ceasefire has begun in the Gaza Strip after several days of fierce fighting between the two main Palestinian factions, Hamas and Fatah.
The truce came into effect at 0300 local time (0100 GMT), after being announced by Mahmoud Zahar, foreign minister in the Hamas government. The truce came into effect at 0300 (0100 GMT), after being announced by Mahmoud Zahar, foreign minister in the Hamas government.
Fighting between the two rival groups has left more than 30 people dead in recent days.Fighting between the two rival groups has left more than 30 people dead in recent days.
It is the worst violence since Hamas came to power in 2006.It is the worst violence since Hamas came to power in 2006.
Attempts to form a unity government have so far failed. The BBC's Alan Johnston in Gaza says there have been no reports of serious clashes since the ceasefire came into force.
Mr Zahar made the announcement flanked by Fatah representatives after talks between Prime Minister Ismail Haniya of Hamas and a senior aide to President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah in the Gaza Strip. But he says it will be some hours yet before it will be possible to tell whether the truce will really hold.
He said the two sides had agreed to take all gunmen off the streets of Gaza and remove checkpoints that had sprung up in many places. As the ceasefire was declared, Israeli aircraft bombed a tunnel under the Gaza-Egypt border.
Both sides have agreed that militants should release hostages taken recently, Mr Zahar said. The Israeli military said the tunnel was going to be used by Palestinian militants to attack Israeli targets.
One hour after the talks, Israeli aircraft bombed a tunnel under the Gaza-Egypt border. It came one day after a Palestinian suicide bomber from Gaza killed three people in the Israeli resort of Eilat.
The Israeli military said the raid was to prevent an attack on Israel by Palestinian militants, but it came just a day after a suicide bomber killed three people in the resort of Eilat. Mediation
Saudi invitation Mr Zahar announced the truce flanked by Fatah representatives after talks between Prime Minister Ismail Haniya of Hamas and a senior aide to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah.
Egyptian diplomats brokered the Hamas-Fatah deal after days of mediation. Despite all the bitterness and sadness that we are feeling, we will work to make it succeed Maher MekdadFatah spokesman class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6300317.stm">Rough year under Hamas "All clashes must stop and armed men must withdraw immediately from the streets," he said, reading from a joint statement.
All clashes must stop and armed men must withdraw immediately from the streets Mahmoud ZaharForeign minister class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6300317.stm">Life under Hamas a rough ride He said the two sides had also agreed to remove checkpoints that had sprung up in many places and release hostages taken recently.
The clashes erupted after weeks of relative calm. Fatah spokesman Maher Mekdad said his group would observe the ceasefire.
A similar deal was reached a few days ago, but the BBC's Alan Johnston in Gaza says that Monday's truce has a better chance of sticking as fighting has been less intense in the last 48 hours. "Despite all the bitterness and sadness that we are feeling, we will work to make it succeed," the Associated Press news agency quoted him as saying.
The two factions had been making renewed efforts to form a national unity government to satisfy the demands of international donors. Egyptian diplomats brokered the Hamas-Fatah deal which came after days of mediation.
Both sides have blamed the other for the outbreak of violence. The clashes erupted after weeks of relative calm and led both sides to suspend talks aimed at forming a national unity government.
On Sunday, Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah invited leaders from the rival factions to meet in Mecca to seek a solution to the wave of fighting. A similar deal was reached a few days ago, but our correspondent says that Monday's truce has a better chance of sticking as fighting has been less intense in the last 48 hours.
In an open letter, the king described the violence as a "disgrace" and urged leaders to make "dialogue prevail over the language of arms". On Sunday, Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah invited leaders from the rival factions to meet in Mecca to seek a solution to the fighting.
Hamas and Fatah have accepted the invitation but no date has been set for the meeting.Hamas and Fatah have accepted the invitation but no date has been set for the meeting.