A Hamas official in Gaza has said that all of Gaza's militant groups have agreed to a cease-fire meant to end a three-day assault on Israel's southern communities. The official said Egypt helped broker the cease-fire, which will go into effect on Sunday evening. He says Egypt told the groups that Israel would not halt its airstrikes unless the Palestinian groups stopped shooting first, and that Hamas security personnel would enforce the agreement.In online messages published in forums linked to Hamas and Fatah, the Gaza Strip government reportedly informed all Palestinian factions about a lull agreement, calling them to stop firing at Israel. According to Islamic Jihad official Ahmed Mudalal, the discussions were based on a draft sent by UN envoy to the Middle East Robert Serry. Mudalal stated that the Palestinian factions do not plan on handing Israel an agreement "free of charge," saying they will demand an immediate halt to Israeli attacks on Gaza.
Mudalal said, "The Islamic Jihad, as well as the rest of the Palestinian factions, are trying to spare our people from the agony of war. However if it's enforced upon them, then the people must show patience and the resistance must protect ithem with all its might."
Meanwhile, Islamic Jihad's Secretary-General Ramadan Abdullah Shallah is supposed to be arriving in Cairo for consultations with Hamas and Egyptian officials, according to a report in Al-Ahram. The report further stated that talks about a possible cease-fire had already started up on Saturday, after Hamas officials claimed they weren't interested in escalating the situation.
Quoting a top-ranking Palestinian official, the report claimed Hamas was trying to convince Islamic Jihad to stop attacking Israel. However Jerusalem officials claimed Sunday they have no knowledge of such plans for a cease-fire or a lull agreement with the Palestinians.