Special report: Israel launches Gaza
assault
Special report: Israel-Lebanon
Conflicts
[ Video ][Gallery]
 |
|
An Israeli tank arrives at a military
staging area near Kibbutz Mefalsim in southern Israel , after leaving an
operation in the Gaza Strip , Saturday, Nov. 25, 2006. Israel and the
Palestinians agreed to a cease-fire Saturday to end a five-month Israeli
military offensive in the Gaza Strip and the firing of rockets by
Palestinian militants into the Jewish state, officials from both sides
said. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
Photo Gallery
>>> |
GAZA, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President
Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Saturday night agreed on
a mutual ceasefire as of 6:00 a.m. (0400 GMT) Sunday, said Nabil Abu Rudeineh,
an advisor to Abbas.
"President Abbas informed Prime Minister Olmert on
telephone that Palestinian factions decided to stop firing homemade rockets at
Israel starting from 6:00 a.m. Sunday," Abu Rudeineh told reporters.
He said Olmert told Abbas that he accepted the
proposal and decided to stop military operations in the Gaza Strip.
Abu Rudeineh said that officials of four militant
groups met with Prime Minister Ismail Haneya, and the groups agreed to stop
launching rockets from the strip at Israel starting from 6:00 a.m. Sunday.
"President Abbas told Olmert that the Palestinian
side is ready to be committed to calm starting from Sunday morning," Abu
Rudeineh said, adding "Mr. Olmert decided to end all Israeli military
operations."
Abu Rudeineh said Olmert informed Abbas that he would
instruct the Israeli army to start withdrawing from northern Gaza Strip.
"All Palestinian armed wings of national and Islamic
factions agreed to be committed to ending all military actions, while the
Israeli army will end its military operations," said Abu Rudeineh.
He said that all Palestinian factions would start
within the coming few days dialogue in order to reach a full, mutual and
permanent ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinians.
He said that Abbas also asked Olmert to stop military
operations in the West Bank "in order to protect the atmosphere of ceasefire and
calm in all the Palestinian territories."
Related:
Israeli army says has withdrawn all troops from Gaza
JERUSALEM, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli army said on Sunday that it had withdrawn all of its troops from the Gaza Strip overnight before the truce took effect.
A spokeswoman for the Israeli army said "there are no forces now in Gaza."
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Saturday night agreed on a mutual ceasefire as of 6:00 a.m. (0400 GMT) Sunday, Abbas' spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh said.
According to Rudeineh, Olmert told Abbas that he accepted the ceasefire proposal and decided to stop military operation in the Gaza Strip.
