GAZA CITY: A new 72-hour ceasefire between Israel and Hamas brokered by Egypt following intense diplomacy in Cairo has come into effect in the besieged Gaza strip.
In a statement, Hamas political bureau chief Khaled Meshaal said that the temporary ceasefire is one of the ways to ensure successful negotiations and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Meshaal further said that the final goal is to have the demands of Palestinians met and the Gaza blockade lifted.
Nearly 2,000 Palestinians including 470 children have been killed and about 10,000 others have injured in the latest Israeli military aggression against Gaza since July 8.
On the other hand, according to the Israeli military, three civilians and 64 Israeli soldiers have been killed in the month-long Gaza offensive. However, the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas puts the number at more than 150.
