Israel, Hamas agree to 12-hour cease-fire

Israel and Hamas have agreed to a 12-hour cease-fire beginning on Saturday morning as international diplomatic efforts to resolve the Gaza conflict continue.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (C), surrounded by aides, sits in the service hallway of a hotel in Cairo July 25, 2014, as he speaks on the phone with Qatar's Foreign Minister Khaled al-Attiyah about the terms of a ceasefire in Israel's fight against Islamist militants in Gaza, during a break in his meetings with Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Kerry said on Friday that there are still disagreements on the terminology for a Gaza truce but he is confident the
US Secretary of State John Kerry (C), surrounded by aides, sits in the service hallway of a hotel in Cairo, July 25, 2014. - REUTERS
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Laura Rozen
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Israel and Hamas have agreed to observe a 12-hour humanitarian pause in the fighting in Gaza, beginning on Saturday morning, officials said Friday, July 25.

The 12-hour humanitarian pause, which international negotiators hope will be extended for another 12-24 hours, comes as US, UN, Arab, Turkish and European leaders continue intense diplomatic efforts to try to negotiate a seven-day truce, beginning with the Eid holiday Sunday evening marking the end of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, Secretary of State John Kerry told journalists in Cairo Friday.

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