12-Hour Truce Comes into Force in Gaza
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - A 12-hour ceasefire came into force between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip at 8am (0500 GMT) on Saturday, the 19th day of a conflict that has killed at least 900 people.
Israel and the Palestinian armed group said they would observe the temporary UN-mediated ceasefire, after US Secretary of State John Kerry was unable to reach a lasting truce during talks on Friday in Cairo.
A few minutes into the scheduled start of the ceasefire, Al Jazeera reported that it is still difficult to know if the fighting has stopped in all parts of the Gaza Strip.
"Sometimes it does continue in pockets for a little while. It may take some time for the ceasefire to completely come into effect," the report said.
At least 10 houses in Gaza were reportedly struck by Israeli aircraft overnight, including in one in the town of Khan Younis, where at least 20 people died.
Ahead of the ceasefire, it was a very difficult night for the people of Gaza, Al Jazeera reporter said.
The announcement of the truce came just hours after Israel's cabinet rejected the terms of a US-sponsored longer-lasting ceasefire that was meant to end the fighting.
