This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/16/world/middleeast/israels-security-cabinet-accepts-egyptian-cease-fire-proposal.html

The article has changed 19 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Israel’s Security Cabinet Accepts Egyptian Cease-fire Proposal Israel’s Security Cabinet Accepts Egyptian Cease-fire Proposal
(35 minutes later)
JERUSALEM — Israel has accepted Egypt’s proposal for a cessation of hostilities with militants in the Gaza Strip, the prime minister’s office announced at 9 a.m. Tuesday, the appointed hour in the proposal made by Cairo on Monday night. JERUSALEM — Israel has accepted Egypt’s proposal for a cessation of hostilities with militants in the Gaza Strip, the prime minister’s office announced at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, the appointed hour in the proposal made by Cairo on Monday night.
The announcement came via text message and without comment after Israel’s top ministers, known as its security cabinet, met early Tuesday. It followed a relatively quiet night, with fewer Israeli airstrikes and Gaza rocket attacks than has been typical of the intense fighting, which began last Monday. The announcement came via text message and without comment after Israel’s top ministers, known as its security cabinet, met early Tuesday. It followed a relatively quiet night, with fewer Israeli airstrikes and rocket attacks from Gaza than has been typical of the intense fighting, which began last Monday.
It was unclear whether Hamas, the Palestinian militant faction that dominates Gaza and led the aerial battle with Israel, would also accept the Egyptian plan, which won backing from the Arab League and the Palestinian Authority. A senior official for Hamas, the Palestinian faction that dominates Gaza and that led the aerial battle with Israel, said shortly after Israel’s announcement on Tuesday that the militants would not accept the Egyptian plan, The Associated Press reported.
“The responses of resistance will continue until the demands of our people are achieved,” Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza, wrote in a post his Facebook page before the Israeli announcement. “Any unilateral Israeli cessation has no value in the light of the large crimes and the disastrous humanitarian situation.” The official, Sami Abu Zuhri, told The A.P. that the proposal, which won backing from the Arab League and the Palestinian Authority, “is not acceptable.”
Mr. Zuhri had signaled Hamas’s disapproval before the Israeli announcement in a post on Facebook. “The responses of resistance will continue until the demands of our people are achieved,” Mr. Zuhri wrote. “Any unilateral Israeli cessation has no value in the light of the large crimes and the disastrous humanitarian situation.”
Although several top Israeli ministers had criticized the idea of a cease-fire, saying that not enough damage had yet been inflicted on Hamas’s infrastructure and weapons cache, analysts saw little downside for Israel in accepting the Egyptian outline. The cease-fire will either lead to a genuine calm that benefits both sides or, if Hamas rejects the terms, provide Israel with more international legitimacy to continue the conflict.Although several top Israeli ministers had criticized the idea of a cease-fire, saying that not enough damage had yet been inflicted on Hamas’s infrastructure and weapons cache, analysts saw little downside for Israel in accepting the Egyptian outline. The cease-fire will either lead to a genuine calm that benefits both sides or, if Hamas rejects the terms, provide Israel with more international legitimacy to continue the conflict.
The text message said simply, “The cabinet decided to answer in the affirmative to the Egyptian initiative for a cease-fire beginning today at 9.”The text message said simply, “The cabinet decided to answer in the affirmative to the Egyptian initiative for a cease-fire beginning today at 9.”
The Egyptian proposal calls for Israelis and representatives of the Palestinian militant factions to meet in Cairo within 48 hours to negotiate terms for a longer-term truce. The initial cease-fire calls for border crossings into Gaza to “be opened” and the movement of people and goods to be “facilitated once the security situation becomes stable on the ground.” The Egyptian proposal calls for Israelis and representatives of the Palestinian militant factions to meet in Cairo within 48 hours to negotiate terms for a longer-term truce. The initial cease-fire calls for border crossings into Gaza to “be opened” and for the movement of people and goods to be “facilitated once the security situation becomes stable on the ground.”
Although there was speculation that Secretary of State John Kerry would fly to Cairo to facilitate the discussions, aides said late Monday that he did not plan to do so. He is in Vienna trying to iron out a deal on Iran’s nuclear program. Although there was speculation that Secretary of State John Kerry of the United States would fly to Cairo to facilitate the discussions, aides said late Monday that he was not planning to do so. Mr. Kerry is in Vienna trying to iron out a deal on Iran’s nuclear program.