Israel, Hamas Agree over Ceasefire in Gaza Strip: Report
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Israel and Palestine's Hamas resistance movement have agreed to restore calm in the Gaza Strip, a spokesman for Hamas said on Saturday.
"With Egyptian and United Nations efforts it has been agreed to return to the era of calm between (Israel) and Palestinian factions," Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum told Reuters.
Israel did not immediately comment on the announcement but an army spokeswoman said that in the early hours of Saturday, there was no known military activity in the Gaza Strip. Palestinian residents said the area was calm.
Egyptian security officials and a diplomat from another unnamed state held contacts with Hamas and Israel in an effort to restore calm following Israeli attacks on the coastal enclave, a Palestinian official said.
Israeli aircraft and tanks hit targets across the Gaza Strip on Friday, killing four people there.
The Palestinians were shot dead during protests along the border with Israel, Gaza's health ministry said.
Two Palestinians were killed in a strike east of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, the health ministry in the enclave said.
A third man was killed by Israeli fire east of Rafah, also in southern Gaza, the ministry said.
The three men were named as Shaban abu Khatar, Mohammed abu Farhana and Mahmoud Qushta.
Israel's military claimed its aircraft and tanks had targeted "eight military posts" belonging to Hamas.
A fourth man named as Mohammed Badwan was later shot dead by Israeli forces during protests along the border, Gaza's health ministry said.
