Israel, Hamas agree to cease-fire to end bloody 11-day war
Jerusalem: Israel and Hamas agreed to a cease-fire Thursday, halting a bruising 11-day war that caused widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip, brought life in much of Israel to a standstill and left more than 200 people dead.
At 2 am local time, just as the ceasefire took effect, frenzy life returned to the streets of Gaza.
People went out of their homes, some shouting Allahu Akbar" or whistling from balconies. Many fired in the air, celebrating the truce. Like the three previous wars between the bitter enemies, the latest round of fighting ended inconclusively.
Israel claimed to inflict heavy damage on Hamas but once again was unable to halt the Hamas group's nonstop rocket barrages.
Almost immediately, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced angry accusations from his hard-line, right-wing base that he stopped the operation too soon.
Hamas claims victory after ceasefire. But it now faces the daunting challenge of rebuilding in a territory already suffering from poverty, widespread unemployment and a raging coronavirus outbreak.
Netanyahu's office said his Security Cabinet had unanimously accepted an Egyptian cease-fire proposal after recommendations from Israel's military chief and other top security officials.
A statement boasted of significant achievements in the operation, some of which are unprecedented.
It also included a veiled threat against Hamas.
The political leaders emphasised that the reality on the ground will determine the future of the campaign, the statement said.
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Trump tells Fox News he's no longer sending Witkoff, Kushner to Pakistan for Iran talks
Islamabad (AP): President Donald Trump says he told top US envoys not to travel to Pakistan to negotiate with Iran, telling Fox News that "they can call us anytime they want.”
In a brief phone interview Saturday, Trump told Fox News that he told US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner “you're not going to be making any more 18 hour flights to sit around talking about nothing.”
Trump also said of the US side “we have all the cards.”
His comments came after the White House said Friday that Witkoff and Kushner would be heading to Pakistan for another round of negotiations with Iran.
