Cease fire for now in Gaza

Fox News:
Israel and Hamas agreed Thursday to an unconditional, 72-hour humanitarian cease-fire in the Gaza conflict, set to begin Friday, the United States and United Nations said.

The cease-fire was scheduled to commence at 8 am local time on Friday, and is expected to last for a period of 72 hours unless it's extended, the State Department said in a statement. Military forces will be expected to stay in place during the cease-fire.

"This is not a time for congratulations or joy or anything except a serious determination — a focus by everybody to try to figure out the road ahead," Secretary of State John Kerry said in New Delhi, where he was meeting with Indian officials. "This is a respite. It is a moment of opportunity, not an end."

The U.S. and U.N. said they had gotten assurances that all parties to the conflict had agreed to an unconditional cease-fire during which there would be negotiations on a more durable truce.

Israeli and Palestinian delegations will "immediately" be going to Cairo for negotiations with the Egyptian government to try at reach a more permanent cease-fire, the State Department said.

"This cease-fire is critical to giving innocent civilians a much-needed reprieve from violence," the State Department said in its statement. "During this period, civilians in Gaza will receive urgently needed humanitarian relief, and the opportunity to carry out vital functions, including burying the dead, taking care of the injured, and restocking food supplies. Overdue repairs on essential water and energy infrastructure could also continue during this period."
...
If Hamas has come to the conclusion that its war with Israel is hopeless, then there is a chance of a respite from the fighting.  But the world needs to condemn Hamas for its use of human shields.  If they do not, it will only endanger more civilians in the future.

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