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Hamas Addressed Israel Via Egypt, Asking to Cease Fire - Source

TEL AVIV (Sputnik) - Gaza's ruling Hamas movement asked Israel to cease fire through Egyptian mediation and promised to stop border clashes as part of the deal, an Israeli high-ranking political source told Sputnik.
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"Yesterday, a massive blow was struck at Hamas and the movement asked for a ceasefire through Egypt, having pledged to stop 'arson terror' and terror at the border fences," the source said.

According to the source, Israel considers Egypt to be a guarantor of implementation of the ceasefire.

"The Egyptians are the guarantors in this issue, but in any case, the development of the situation will depend on real actions, and if Hamas violates the ceasefire, it will pay an even higher price," the source added.

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These arrangements were reached after massive bombings of Hamas facilities in the enclave, which followed the murder of an Israeli serviceman on Friday.

This has been the second ceasefire between Israel and Hamas coordinated through Egypt over the past two weeks. Last Saturday, the Israel Air Force hit dozens of militant targets in the Gaza Strip, while Hamas, supported by the Islamic Jihad group, fired about 200 rockets and projectiles at southern Israel.

READ MORE: IDF Tank Strikes Hamas Outpost in Gaza Strip After Ceasefire Reached

Israel, Hamas Reportedly Agree to Restore Peace in Gaza Amid Spike in Violence
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called these airstrikes on the Gaza Strip the hardest since the start of the military operation in the enclave in 2014 and threatened Hamas with new strikes in case it continued attacks on Israel.

Hostilities between the Israelis and the Palestinians near the Gaza border increased since late March, which marked the beginning of the Palestinian protest campaign against Israel, dubbed the Great March of Return. The border riots are accompanied with the launching of arson balloons and burning kites with the aim to provoke fires in Israel.

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