World News
Long-term ceasefire in the Gaza strip─── 07:47 Wed, 27 Aug 2014
Cairo - A long-term ceasefire has been agreed between Israel and Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip.
The truce, ending seven weeks of fighting that has left more than 2 200 people - mostly Palestinians - dead, was brokered by Egypt and began at 7pm local time.
Hamas said the deal represented a "victory for the resistance".
Israeli officials say Israel is to ease its blockade of Gaza to allow in aid and building materials.
The US gave full backing to the deal and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also welcomed the truce. But in a statement via his spokesperson, Ban warned that "any peace effort that does not tackle the root causes of the crisis will do little more than set the stage for the next cycle of violence".
BBC
