08-26-2014, 03:26 PM
GOOD NEWS -- CEASE FIRE REACHED -- NO EXPIRATION DATE
Both sides are claiming it a victory and blaming each other for the fighting and initial failure of Cairo-brokered cease fire proposals, but that's politics.
Snip:
After more than seven weeks of heavy fighting, Israel and Hamas announced a ceasefire Tuesday. And unlike the other ceasefires announced in recent weeks, this one has no expiration date.
The truce does not deal with core long-term issues on both sides. But Israel agreed to ease the blockade on Gaza, open border crossings for more aid to pass through and extend the fishing limit off the coast to 6 miles, according to a senior Egyptian government official.
Both sides agreed to return to Cairo later for further talks, the official said.
Hamas -- as it has after every battle with Israel -- declared it a victory. But Israel said that Hamas finally accepted the offer that it had rejected repeatedly.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is not part of Hamas and lives in the West Bank, thanked "Egypt and everyone who supported all the efforts that resulted in this agreement to end the aggression." "Together, we will rebuild our free country," he added.
Abbas is with the Palestinian faction Fatah, the longtime rival of Hamas, which has run the government in the West Bank. The two factions have battled and kidnapped each other's militants in the past but also repeatedly announced plans for a unity government, including one this year.
Israel has said its military actions destroyed dozens of tunnels used by Palestinian militants to smuggle weapons used to attack Israeli civilians. One airstrike last week killed three high-ranking Hamas militants.
Hamas later killed 18 of its own, accusing them of being informants for Israel.
Full story: http://edition.cnn.com/2014/08/26/world/...?hpt=hp_t1
Both sides are claiming it a victory and blaming each other for the fighting and initial failure of Cairo-brokered cease fire proposals, but that's politics.
Snip:
After more than seven weeks of heavy fighting, Israel and Hamas announced a ceasefire Tuesday. And unlike the other ceasefires announced in recent weeks, this one has no expiration date.
The truce does not deal with core long-term issues on both sides. But Israel agreed to ease the blockade on Gaza, open border crossings for more aid to pass through and extend the fishing limit off the coast to 6 miles, according to a senior Egyptian government official.
Both sides agreed to return to Cairo later for further talks, the official said.
Hamas -- as it has after every battle with Israel -- declared it a victory. But Israel said that Hamas finally accepted the offer that it had rejected repeatedly.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is not part of Hamas and lives in the West Bank, thanked "Egypt and everyone who supported all the efforts that resulted in this agreement to end the aggression." "Together, we will rebuild our free country," he added.
Abbas is with the Palestinian faction Fatah, the longtime rival of Hamas, which has run the government in the West Bank. The two factions have battled and kidnapped each other's militants in the past but also repeatedly announced plans for a unity government, including one this year.
Israel has said its military actions destroyed dozens of tunnels used by Palestinian militants to smuggle weapons used to attack Israeli civilians. One airstrike last week killed three high-ranking Hamas militants.
Hamas later killed 18 of its own, accusing them of being informants for Israel.
Full story: http://edition.cnn.com/2014/08/26/world/...?hpt=hp_t1