Hamas Joins Israel In Accepting Proposal For Temporary Ceasefire In Gaza

Hamas Accepts Temporary Ceasefire With Israel
Palestinian protesters hurl stones at Israeli soldiers during a demonstration against the Israeli military action in Gaza, near the West Bank town of Nablus, Wednesday, July 16, 2014. Hundreds of Palestinian families, their children crying, fled Wednesday, as Israel intensified airstrikes on Hamas targets, including homes of the movement's leaders, following failed Egyptian cease-fire efforts. Before the renewed bombardment, Israel had told tens of thousands of residents of border areas to evacuate their neighborhoods. (AP Photo/Nasser Ishtayeh)
Palestinian protesters hurl stones at Israeli soldiers during a demonstration against the Israeli military action in Gaza, near the West Bank town of Nablus, Wednesday, July 16, 2014. Hundreds of Palestinian families, their children crying, fled Wednesday, as Israel intensified airstrikes on Hamas targets, including homes of the movement's leaders, following failed Egyptian cease-fire efforts. Before the renewed bombardment, Israel had told tens of thousands of residents of border areas to evacuate their neighborhoods. (AP Photo/Nasser Ishtayeh)

Hamas agreed to a temporary ceasefire with Israel early on Thursday, the AFP reported. Israel had already accepted the terms. CNN also reported the accord.

The United Nations brokered the five-hour pause in fighting, giving the Palestinians time to regroup from days of bombardment. The AP reports that the ceasefire is to begin on Thursday at 10 a.m. local time (0700 GMT, 3 a.m. EDT).

The conflict has killed more than 200 Palestinians. Many of those killed have been civilians, including four boys killed by a strike Wednesday. Only one Israeli has died in the conflict. The Israeli military claimed to have bombed at least 150 targets in Gaza On Wednesday alone. Resolving the conflict has been elusive; a ceasefire proposal orchestrated by Egypt was abandoned on Tuesday after Hamas rejected the plan. Before the ceasefire, Israel ordered 100,000 residents of Gaza City to leave their homes, presumably in advance of further strikes.

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