This is a first. A dozen political and military factions in Gaza have agreed to a cease fire with Israel.
Twelve Palestinian factions have accepted Cairo's proposal for a temporary truce with Israel, beginning in Gaza, Egypt announced on Wednesday, adding that it would press Israel to accept the deal.
JPost
The ball is now in Israel's court.
Egypt apparently put a great deal of effort and national credibility into this effort. Past cease fire agreements have beeen "spoiled" by one or more of the smaller factions, notoriously Islamic Jihad or the PRC. Israel has also historically been accused of instigating attacks to dissolve truce efforts.
The cease fire isn't a "peace", but a "pause", but is it progress towards peace?
The tahadiyeh (period of calm) would be comprehensive, mutual and simultaneous and would first be implemented in the Gaza Strip, he said.
"The tahadiyeh will be implemented in phases," he said. "It will begin in the Gaza Strip and, at a later stage, will be applied to the West Bank."
Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh welcomed the deal between the Egyptians and the 12 Palestinian factions, saying the ball was now in the Israeli court. He also called on Israel to halt its policy of "collective punishment" and to lift the blockade on the Gaza Strip.
Egypt's Omar Suleiman is traveling to Israel today to deliver the offer.
Israeli sources said they were awaiting official confirmation of the agreement. "Meanwhile, they are playing chess with themselves," a security source said.
Israel has reiterated that it will meet "quiet with quiet" in the Gaza Strip. Rocket fire on the western and northern Negev from the Strip continued yesterday, and a few hours after the announcement of the Cairo agreement, Israel bombed what the Israel Defense Forces said was a lathe workshop for producing Qassam rockets in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. One man, an senior Islamic Jihad military activist, was killed, and five others were injured.
Haaretz
Israel's defence establishment is understandably concerned that the factions will take this opportunity to rest and re-arm with smuggled weapons from the Egyptian border crossings.
But still, might be progress.
It looks like the US might be applying some unprecedented pressure, according to Ms Rice.
At the same time, she acknowledged that Palestinians are losing patience. The United States and moderates among both Israeli and Palestinians fear an explosion of violence and a political windfall for Hamas and other militant anti-Israel groups if negotiation yields nothing tangible.
"I do believe the window for the two-state solution is not open forever," Rice told reporters traveling with her.
"I think you could argue it's gotten narrower and narrower over time."
The top U.S. diplomat said Israel bears primary responsibility for showing Palestinians that peaceful negotiation pays off in improvements to their daily lives. Heading to a gathering of international donors to the perpetually broke Palestinians, Rice said the world can help, and can start by honoring existing financial commitments.
"Israel has probably the lead responsibility in helping to improve the lives of the Palestinian people but it's a shared responsibility," she said.
The ball is in Israel's court, it seems. Do you wish your candidate to say something about this?
Haaretz