MOSCOW, August 4 (RIA Novosti) – Israeli Defense Forces announced a seven-hour truce in most of the districts of the Gaza Strip, Agence France-Presse reported Monday.
According to the agency, the humanitarian pause will begin between 10:00 a.m. local time (07:00 GMT) and 05:00 p.m. local time (14:00 GMT) on Monday. It is noted that the ceasefire will be in force in the entire territory of Palestinian enclave, except for the districts east of the city of Rafah in southern Gaza, «where clashes were still ongoing and there was Israeli military presence."
The head of the Israeli military activities in the Gaza Strip, General Yoav Mordechai, warned that «if the truce will be violated, the army will respond with fire toward the source of the fire during the declared hudna [truce]."
Israel has launched Operation Protective Edge on July 8 to put an end to rocket fire from Gaza. On July 17, the Israeli Army switched to a ground assault largely aimed at locating and destroying rocket launchers and underground tunnels. According to the latest reports, 1,754 Palestinians, mostly civilians, and 67 Israelis have been killed since the offensive began.
Earlier Sunday, delegations representing Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad have arrived in the capital of Egypt, Cairo, to hold negotiations on a Gaza truce via Egyptian and US mediators. Tel Aviv authorities said Saturday that they will not send its delegation to the talks, noting that Israel will consider the ceasefire only after a containment system against attacks from the Gaza Strip will be implemented.
