Post by Salem6 on Jun 17, 2008 13:37:19 GMT
Israel and militant group Hamas have agreed on a truce starting this Thursday, a senior Hamas official has told the BBC.
Israel carries out regular raids into Gaza to counter Hamas rocket fire
The official said he was confident all militant groups in Gaza would abide by the agreement, brokered by Egypt.
There has been no confirmation of the deal from Israel.
Earlier at least six Palestinians were reportedly killed in Israeli air strikes in southern Gaza. Israel said it had targeted "terror operatives".
Islamic Jihad said a missile struck a car carrying five of its members near Khan Younis. A sixth man died in a separate strike nearby.
The first stage of the deal reportedly reached between Hamas and Israel envisages a halt to hostilities and a partial reopening Gaza's borders.
A second stage of the plan would focus on the return of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit and on a deal to reopen the main Rafah crossing into Egypt.
Hamas official Ahmed Yousef told the BBC he hoped that the ceasefire would lead to a further opening of the crossing points from Israel into Gaza, and an increase in the number of supplies.
He said that the aim now was to push ahead talks on a prisoner exchange, as well as a new round of talks in Cairo between the rival Palestinian factions of Fatah and Hamas.
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7459200.stm