Israel and Hamas agree to Gaza truce

By Nidal al-Mughrabi

GAZA (Reuters) - A ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip will begin on Thursday, Egypt said after mediating a deal that could ease a crippling Israeli blockade of the Hamas-controlled territory.

"Both sides have pledged to halt all hostilities and all military activities against each other," Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hossam Zaki said in Cairo on Tuesday, after weeks of separate talks with Israel and Hamas.

Confirming details provided to Reuters by a Palestinian official in Gaza on Tuesday, Zaki said the truce would go into effect at 6 a.m. local time (4 a.m. British time) on Thursday.

A ceasefire would aim to end rocket and mortar bomb attacks on Israel from the Gaza Strip and Israeli raids in the territory. Israel has said it would continue preparing for possible large-scale military action should a truce fall apart.

Shortly before the Palestinian official said a six-month ceasefire had been reached, Israel launched air strikes that killed six militants in the Gaza Strip.

Israel stopped short of confirming the timing of what it said would be an informal arrangement to halt fighting. An Israeli official said Israeli intelligence chiefs were sceptical a truce could last.

Ismail Haniyeh, head of the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip, issued a statement welcoming Egypt's efforts "to achieve calm" and saying progress had been achieved towards halting Israeli "aggression and ending the siege".

Hamas officials said other Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip had agreed to abide by the ceasefire.