[It may bear recalling that the armed confrontations had, this time, commenced on June 28, with Hamas firing rockets from Gaza, to be followed by Israeli airstrikes on the following day. It had been preceded by the kidnapping and killings of three young Jewish settlers in the West Bank and massive actions by the Zionist regime against Hamas activists in the West Bank in response. The 'Operation Protective Edge', indiscriminate bombing of Gaza, was launched by Israel on July 8. The first ceasefire proposal was put forward by Egypt on July 14, and the ceasefire which would commence at 9 AM (local time) on July 15 would terminate six hours later as the Hamas rejected it. The ceasefire proposal was accepted by Israel.
This is the first time since then that a ceasefire with "no expiration date", as underscored by the CNN report below at sl. no. III, has been agreed to. *Reportedly, more than two two thousand Palestinians, most of them civilians including more than 490 children, have been killed in Gaza and so have been 64 of Israeli soldiers and some four or five civilians, including a foreigner, since fighting intensified on July 8. All (some 30) underground tunnels in Gaza and a large stock of Hamas rockets have been reportedly destroyed since the beginning of the ground operations by Israel on July 17. Three very senior Hamas commanders were killed in Israeli airstrike. Till July 15 morning, the day the first ceasefire turned out to be stillborn, about 100 Gazans had been killed.* While the Zionist regime publicly demanded "demilitarisation" of the Gaza Strip - which in effect means disarming of the Hamas, that goal stands obviously unmet. While rejecting the temporary ceasefire proposal on July 15 last, the Hamas had put forward 10 demands, reproduced below at sl. no. IV. The terms of agreement this time are listed at the tail end of the Al Jazeera report below at sl. no. I. The (indirect) talks would reportedly continue. The reported open celebrations in Gaza, in the wake of the latest truce, underscore two things; one, the ceasefire this time is much more likely to hold, and, two, perceptions are, in a way, more important than just bare facts.] I/IV. http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/08/hamas-claims-gaza-truce-agreed-with-israel-2014826135242392859.html Palestinian joy as Israel agrees Gaza truce Hamas and Israel agree long-term deal which will ease Israeli blockade of enclave after talks brokered by Egypt. Last updated: 27 Aug 2014 05:52 Thousands of Palestinians are celebrating in Gaza after Israel and Palestinian groups agreed an open-ended ceasefire to end seven weeks of fighting in Gaza. The Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, said on Tuesday from the occupied West Bank that a formula had been accepted by all parties and that a ceasefire had gone into effect at 1600 GMT. He hailed the agreement as a chance to "build a new nation and end the occupation", before thanking Egypt, Qatar and the US for their roles in brokering the agreement made during indirect talks in Cairo. The Reuters and AP news agencies quoted Israeli officials as saying that the Israeli government had accepted the deal. Israeli media reported the same. Hamas's exiled deputy leader, Moussa Abu Marzouk, said the agreement was a "victory for the resistance". Crowds took to the bombed-out streets of Gaza to celebrate the end of hostilities. Many used the v-sign to signify Palestinian victory over Israel. Al Jazeera's Andrew Simmons, reporting from Gaza, said that the deal agreed an immediate easing of Israel's blockade of crossings into Gaza, and a gradual lifting of restrictions on fishing off the coast of the strip. "The embargo will be lifted and the five border posts will see considerable changes, with the Rafah border crossing opening," he said in reference to the crossing between Egypt and Gaza. Discussions on the creation of a seaport and airport will take place in a month, "when indirect talks betwen Israel and Palestinians are scheduled to resume," reports Al Jazeera's Jacky Rowland. She noted that local leaders urged civilians not to return to their homes yet. Local officials also announced that schools will not begin on the first day of September. Ofir Gendelman, the Israeli prime minister's spokesman for the Arab world, said operations in Gaza were a victory for Israel. "Hamas gave in and accepted the same Egyptian proposal for a ceasefire it rejected until now. The reason for the change... air strikes," he said. Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev told Al Jazeera that the bloodshed could have been "avoided" if Hamas had accepted the July 15 ceasefire agreement. Several senior Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaders made rare public appearances after the truce took hold. Senior Islamic Jihad official Mohammed al-Hindi gave a victory speech to thousands gathered in a square in the Rimal area of Gaza City. "We're going to build our port and our airport, and if they attack the port, they attack the port. But anyone who attacks the airport will have their airport attacked again," Zahar said. *Raids end* Israeli air raids continued in the run up to the ceasefire on Tuesday, as jets attacked two Gaza City high-rise buildings, collapsing one and severely damaging the other. One attack levelled the 15-storey Basha tower and severely damaged a 13-storey building known as the Italian complex, which was home to 70 families and dozens of shops and offices. Palestinian health officials said 20 people were wounded in the Italian complex attack. In Israel, one civilian was killed and two others seriously wounded by a mortar round fired from Gaza hit a kibbutz in the Eshkol regional council area. A total of 2,142 people, most of them civilians including more than 490 children, have been killed in Gaza since war broke out on July 8. A total of 69 people have been killed on the Israeli side, nearly all of them soldiers. *The deal* * A multilateral ceasefire. * Israel to open more of its Gaza crossings, Egypt to open Rafah. * The Palestinian Authority to take over Gaza's borders. * The PA to lead rebuilding efforts. * Israel to reduce security buffer inside Gaza, from 300m to 100m. * Israel to extend fishing limit off Gaza's coast from three to six miles, with the possibility of extending it further. Source: Al Jazeera and agencies II/IV. http://rt.com/news/182888-gaza-truce-israel-agree/ Israel, Palestine agree to long-term ceasefire in Gaza Strip Published time: August 26, 2014 13:46 Edited time: August 26, 2014 17:57 Palestinians celebrate what they said was a victory over Israel following a ceasefire in Gaza City August 26, 2014 (Reuters / Mohammed Salem) A long-term truce in Gaza has been agreed with Israel, Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas said. The ceasefire announced by Egypt came into effect at 16:00 GMT with almost immediate reports of warning sirens going off in southern Israel. "*We have responded to the Egyptian proposal for a complete and comprehensive cease-fire, which starts at 19:00 Cairo time*," Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, stated. *"There will be a complete stop in fighting."* A senior Israeli official confirmed to Reuters that Israel had accepted the Egyptian proposal for a "*for a complete and unlimited-in-time ceasefire"* Gaza ceasefire. *"Israel accepted already the Egyptian proposal on July 15. Israel has always supported an unconditional, open-ended ceasefire,"* the anonymous official told the agency. Celebratory gunfire rang through Gaza shortly after 7pm as thousands flocked to the streets in celebration. A Palestinian waves a Hamas flag (R) as others celebrate what they said was a victory over Israel, following a ceasefire in Gaza City August 26, 2014 (Reuters / Suhaib Salem) However, shortly after the ceasefire was scheduled to take effect, sirens indicating rocket attacks also continued to be heard in southern Israel. Egypt's Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying that indirect talks are set to continue within the space of a month. An anonymous Palestinian official also told AFP that the contacts working on the issue in Egypt's capital "*agreed a permanent cease-fire, a [deal to] end the blockade and a guarantee that Gaza's demands and needs will be met*." Prior to the ceasefire's announcement, Azzam al-Ahmed, head of the Palestinian delegation had been *"shuttling between the leadership of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, all the factions, and Egyptian leaders, travelling between Ramallah, Gaza, Doha overseas,"* for some 48 hours, according to the official. Tel Aviv has reportedly agreed to bring its blockade of Gaza to a halt in order to allow relief supplies and construction materials through. Further discussions are expected to center around the potential establishment of a seaport and an airport in the Gaza strip, a senior Hamas official told AP. The deal reached, however, will not see the opening of Gaza's borders to Israel and Egypt, and did not apparently see any major steps back on the part of Israel despite cries of 'victory'. Fighting continued right up to the final minute before the ceasefire was declared. Rocket sirens were heard in southern Israel - near the Gaza border, reported Haaretz. Three Israelis were wounded by mortar shell explosion in Eshkol regional Council. The Jerusalem Post reported that at least 116 rockets exploded in the area over the course of the day. Monday marked the 50th day since Israel started its campaign in Gaza on July 8 and the death toll has already reached 2,120 people, of which 577 are children, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. On Tuesday, 25 people were injured when Israel bombed two Gaza City high-rises containing dozens of homes and shops, according to health officials. III/IV. http://edition.cnn.com/2014/08/26/world/meast/mideast-crisis/index.html Israel-Gaza truce reached, this time with no expiration date By *Josh Levs*, *Reza Sayah* and *Ben Wedeman*, CNN August 26, 2014 -- Updated 2252 GMT (0652 HKT) *(CNN)* -- 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 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. "We hope that this time, the ceasefire will stick," Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev said. "And I think now, as the dust will begin to clear, many people will be asking: Why is it that today Hamas accepted the very same Egyptian framework that it rejected a month ago? "Ultimately, so much bloodshed could have been avoided," he added. Early in the conflict, Israel openly accepted Egypt's ceasefire proposal and slammed Hamas for not doing so. Analysts saw Egypt's offers as one of many signs that the fighting was a proxy war for the broader Middle East <http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/31/world/meast/israel-gaza-region/>, with key powers such as Cairo supporting Israel's fight against Hamas. In Gaza, cheers and celebratory gunfire erupted Tuesday. It's "a day of the victories for our people," spokesman Fawhi Barhoum declared before a cheering, screaming crowd. He praised the "steadfastness and resistance" in Gaza. "The occupiers have tried to break them ... but the delegation spoke with one voice," Barhoum said of the negotiations. 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. The ceasefire went into effect at 7 p.m. (noon ET). "In the end, Israel had two alternatives: either to occupy Gaza and destroy Hamas or to go to a ceasefire," a senior Israeli official said on condition of anonymity. "Once we decided not to occupy Gaza, we pushed for the same conditions that led to the end of hostilities in 2012." He said that he was "not confident" the ceasefire would last but that if Hamas wants it to hold, it will. 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 <http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/21/world/meast/mideast-crisis/>. Hamas later killed 18 of its own, accusing them of being informants for Israel. As news of the possible deal broke Tuesday, a flurry of violence was reported. Warning sirens blared in southern Israel, indicating rocket attacks from Gaza. Israeli emergency services reported that one person was critically wounded and two others were seriously wounded. Separately, three Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Rafah, south of Gaza City, according to Ashraf el-Qedra, spokesman for the Palestinian Ministry of Health. *50 days into Israeli operation* U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry cheered news of the ceasefire Tuesday and called on all parties to comply with its terms. He also expressed some skepticism. "We are approaching the next phase with our eyes wide open. We have been down this road before, and we are all aware of the challenges ahead. Both the Israelis and the Palestinians have strong views about their needs and the future of the region," Kerry said in a statement. "Getting there will not be easy, but it is the only path to a future that the people on both sides deserve," it read. The ceasefire came on the 50th day of Israel's Operation Protective Edge, aimed at stopping rocket attacks against Israeli civilians and weeding out the militants' tunnels. More than 2,130 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict. It's not clear how many were civilians. The United Nations estimates that more than 70% were civilians, but Israel reports a higher number of militants among the dead. On Sunday, the Israel Defense Forces accused Hamas of routinely exaggerating civilian deaths "for propaganda purposes." Sixty-seven Israelis -- 64 of them soldiers -- have been killed, the United Nations reports. A foreign worker in Israel was killed as well. A 4-year-old boy became Israel's latest civilian victim Friday when a mortar shell exploded in the parking lot of a kibbutz, Israeli rescue services said. On Monday night, Israel blasted a second residential tower <http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/25/world/meast/mideast-crisis/> in Gaza. The Health Ministry said 20 people were injured in the airstrike. The Israeli military said the building housed a Hamas "command and control center." Palestinians evacuated the building after warnings from Israel, the IDF said. *Hamas acknowledges militants killed teens* Israel's operation followed the June abductions and killings of three Israeli teenagers who were on their way home from school in the West Bank. At the time, Israel blamed Hamas. On Friday, a Hamas official admitted that the act was carried out by Hamas militants <http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/22/world/meast/mideast-crisis/>. The official said the attackers did not tell their leaders. After the boys were buried, a Palestinian teen was killed. Israeli authorities arrested the suspects, saying it was believed to have been a revenge killing. "Any peace effort that does not tackle the root causes of the crisis will do little more than set the stage for the next cycle of violence," a spokesman for the U.N. secretary-general said Tuesday of the ceasefire. "After 50 days of profound human suffering and devastating physical destruction, any violations of the ceasefire would be utterly irresponsible," he said. IV. [The Hamas had made the following 10 demands as a precondition for any ceasefire while rejecting the ceasefire proposal put forward by Egypt on July 14 last.] Hamas offers Israel 10 conditions for a 10 year truce Ira Glunts on July 16, 2014 86 http://mondoweiss.net/2014/07/report-israel-conditions.html <http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fmondoweiss.net%2F2014%2F07%2Freport-israel-conditions.html&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEHUa2EvaN049beH8ReM5kqYOwrtA> Hamas is offering Israel a 10-year truce if it accepts 10 conditions. The Jerusalem Post reports, based on an Israeli Channel 2 newscast, that Azmi Bishara announced the proposal on Al Jazeera television today. Bishara, a former Israeli Knesset member, fled Israel in 2007 after being accused of spying for Hezbollah. He is currently living in Qatar where he is a high level government advisor. According to Ma'ariv (Hebrew) these are the conditions: Withdrawal of Israeli tanks from the Gaza border. Freeing all the prisoners that were arrested after the killing of the three youths. Lifting the siege and opening the border crossings to commerce and people. Establishing an international seaport and airport which would be under U.N. supervision. Increasing the permitted fishing zone to 10 kilometers. Internationalizing the Rafah Crossing and placing it under the supervision of the U.N. and some Arab nations. International forces on the borders. Easing conditions for permits to pray at the Al Aqsa Mosque. Prohibition on Israeli interference in the reconciliation agreement. Reestablishing an industrial zone and improvements in further economic development in the Gaza Strip -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. 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