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| Israel’s Security Cabinet Accepts Egyptian Cease-fire Proposal | Israel’s Security Cabinet Accepts Egyptian Cease-fire Proposal |
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| JERUSALEM — Israel has accepted Egypt’s proposal for a cessation of hostilities with Hamas and other militant Palestinian groups in the Gaza Strip, the prime minister’s office announced at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, the appointed hour for the start of the cease-fire in the proposal made by Cairo on Monday night. | JERUSALEM — Israel has accepted Egypt’s proposal for a cessation of hostilities with Hamas and other militant Palestinian groups in the Gaza Strip, the prime minister’s office announced at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, the appointed hour for the start of the cease-fire 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. | The announcement came via text message and without comment after Israel’s top ministers, known as its security cabinet, met early Tuesday. |
| “In accordance with the government directives, the I.D.F. now holds fire,” Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, a military spokesman, said in a statement nearly two hours later, using the abbreviation for the Israel Defense Forces. “We remain alert and preserve high preparedness levels, both defensive and offensive. If the Hamas terror organization will fire at Israel, we shall respond.” | “In accordance with the government directives, the I.D.F. now holds fire,” Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, a military spokesman, said in a statement nearly two hours later, using the abbreviation for the Israel Defense Forces. “We remain alert and preserve high preparedness levels, both defensive and offensive. If the Hamas terror organization will fire at Israel, we shall respond.” |
| It was unclear whether Hamas, which dominates Gaza and led the aerial battle with Israel that started last Monday, would also accept the Egyptian plan, which won backing from the Arab League and the Palestinian Authority. More than two hours after Israel’s announcement, sirens announcing rocket fire from Gaza sounded in more than a dozen southern Israeli communities. | |
| Hamas leaders in Gaza were not answering their mobile phones on Tuesday in the hour after Israel’s announcement. Earlier on Tuesday morning, the group’s armed wing, Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, “totally and completely” rejected the Egyptian initiative in a statement emailed to journalists. | Hamas leaders in Gaza were not answering their mobile phones on Tuesday in the hour after Israel’s announcement. Earlier on Tuesday morning, the group’s armed wing, Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, “totally and completely” rejected the Egyptian initiative in a statement emailed to journalists. |
| “If the published text of this initiative is correct, we only say that this is an initiative of subordination and submission,” the statement said. “For us, this initiative isn’t worth the ink used for typing it.” | “If the published text of this initiative is correct, we only say that this is an initiative of subordination and submission,” the statement said. “For us, this initiative isn’t worth the ink used for typing it.” |
| On Monday night, a Hamas spokesman, Sami Abu Zuhri, expressed the group’s disapproval 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.” | On Monday night, a Hamas spokesman, Sami Abu Zuhri, expressed the group’s disapproval 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. |
| “If Hamas looks at the cards it has been dealt — and they are very weak cards indeed — resuming military operations against Israel is not a good hand to play,” Michael B. Oren, Israel’s former ambassador to the United States, told reporters on Tuesday in a conference call organized by The Israel Project, an advocacy group. “Now that Israel has accepted the cease-fire and has offered to go into further negotiations,” Mr. Oren said, “if Hamas reopens fire, Israel’s justification for responding in a very robust way is greatly reinforced.” | “If Hamas looks at the cards it has been dealt — and they are very weak cards indeed — resuming military operations against Israel is not a good hand to play,” Michael B. Oren, Israel’s former ambassador to the United States, told reporters on Tuesday in a conference call organized by The Israel Project, an advocacy group. “Now that Israel has accepted the cease-fire and has offered to go into further negotiations,” Mr. Oren said, “if Hamas reopens fire, Israel’s justification for responding in a very robust way is greatly reinforced.” |
| 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.” | 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.” |
| The diplomatic developments followed a relatively quiet night and morning, in which the Israeli military bombed 25 sites in Gaza and counted eight rockets fired from Gaza into southern Israel before 10 a.m. | |
| A spokesman for Gaza’s Health Ministry said five people had been killed in Israeli airstrikes on Rafah and Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, bringing the total number of Palestinians killed since the operation began on Monday to 185; about 1,400 others have been wounded. | A spokesman for Gaza’s Health Ministry said five people had been killed in Israeli airstrikes on Rafah and Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, bringing the total number of Palestinians killed since the operation began on Monday to 185; about 1,400 others have been wounded. |
| Ashraf al-Qedra, the Health Ministry spokesman, and local journalists said that Ismail and Mohammed Najjar, relatives in their 40s who worked as guards on agricultural land in a former Israeli settlement in Khan Younis, were killed early Tuesday. In Rafah, drone strikes killed Atwa al-Amour, a 63-year-old farmer, and Bushra Zourob, 53, who was near the target, a man on a motorbike, who was wounded. | Ashraf al-Qedra, the Health Ministry spokesman, and local journalists said that Ismail and Mohammed Najjar, relatives in their 40s who worked as guards on agricultural land in a former Israeli settlement in Khan Younis, were killed early Tuesday. In Rafah, drone strikes killed Atwa al-Amour, a 63-year-old farmer, and Bushra Zourob, 53, who was near the target, a man on a motorbike, who was wounded. |
| The Israeli military said two people were lightly injured by a rocket that fell in the southern resort city of Eilat early Tuesday. No Israelis have been killed during the current escalation. | The Israeli military said two people were lightly injured by a rocket that fell in the southern resort city of Eilat early Tuesday. No Israelis have been killed during the current escalation. |
| A military spokeswoman said Tuesday morning that Israel had hit 1,609 targets in Gaza during the eight-day operation, and counted 1,090 rockets fired into Israel, 193 of which had been intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system. | A military spokeswoman said Tuesday morning that Israel had hit 1,609 targets in Gaza during the eight-day operation, and counted 1,090 rockets fired into Israel, 193 of which had been intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system. |
| Although there was speculation that Secretary of State John Kerry of the United States would fly to Cairo to facilitate the discussions, he is expected instead to head back to Washington on Tuesday afternoon from Vienna, where he was trying to iron out a deal on Iran’s nuclear program. Mr. Kerry is expected to brief reporters before departing Vienna. | Although there was speculation that Secretary of State John Kerry of the United States would fly to Cairo to facilitate the discussions, he is expected instead to head back to Washington on Tuesday afternoon from Vienna, where he was trying to iron out a deal on Iran’s nuclear program. Mr. Kerry is expected to brief reporters before departing Vienna. |
| Haaretz, an Israeli daily, reported that Israel’s foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, and the economy minister, Naftali Bennett, both of whom have opposed a cease-fire with Hamas until Israeli forces inflict significantly more damage, voted against the pact in Tuesday morning’s meeting. The right-wing housing minister, Uri Ariel — who is not a member of the security cabinet — called the decision “a strategic mistake akin to building a train without paving the last kilometer,” Haaretz reported. | Haaretz, an Israeli daily, reported that Israel’s foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, and the economy minister, Naftali Bennett, both of whom have opposed a cease-fire with Hamas until Israeli forces inflict significantly more damage, voted against the pact in Tuesday morning’s meeting. The right-wing housing minister, Uri Ariel — who is not a member of the security cabinet — called the decision “a strategic mistake akin to building a train without paving the last kilometer,” Haaretz reported. |
| Isaac Herzog, the head of Israel’s Labor Party and leader of the opposition in Parliament, said: “If the cease-fire doesn’t lead to forward movement in the peace process it is useless.” | Isaac Herzog, the head of Israel’s Labor Party and leader of the opposition in Parliament, said: “If the cease-fire doesn’t lead to forward movement in the peace process it is useless.” |