The latest effort to stop the escalating violence which has threatened to spread to other Middle East areas went into effect at 11:00 p.m. Tuesday night. The agreement came after intense pressure from Egyptian mediators.
Security chiefs for both factions appeared together in Gaza City to announce the truce, saying that Hamas PA Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh and Fatah PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas both agreed to withdrawn their forces from the streets of Gaza.
Only the Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces, which are loyal to Fatah, will be allowed to carry weapons, according to the agreement.
PA Interior Minister Said Siyam explained on PA TV that police will be patrolling the streets to ensure that the quiet is maintained.
Abbas said he hoped the ceasefire would hold. “We bless and support this agreement,” he said at a news conference in Ramallah. “We hope all will abide by this agreement.”
Oded Granot, a commentator for Channel One's Mabat television news program, said he believes there is little chance the truce will succeed in light of Haniyeh’s speech on Tuesday evening.
The Hamas chairman blamed the United States for policies that led to the latest violence and stated categorically that Hamas will try to topple Abbas.
Security chiefs for both factions appeared together in Gaza City to announce the truce, saying that Hamas PA Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh and Fatah PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas both agreed to withdrawn their forces from the streets of Gaza.
Only the Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces, which are loyal to Fatah, will be allowed to carry weapons, according to the agreement.
PA Interior Minister Said Siyam explained on PA TV that police will be patrolling the streets to ensure that the quiet is maintained.
Abbas said he hoped the ceasefire would hold. “We bless and support this agreement,” he said at a news conference in Ramallah. “We hope all will abide by this agreement.”
Oded Granot, a commentator for Channel One's Mabat television news program, said he believes there is little chance the truce will succeed in light of Haniyeh’s speech on Tuesday evening.
The Hamas chairman blamed the United States for policies that led to the latest violence and stated categorically that Hamas will try to topple Abbas.