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GAZA - Rival Palestinian factions agreed a ceasefire in Gaza effective from 3 am (2pm NZT) tomorrow, Palestinian Foreign Minister Mahmoud al-Zahar said.
Zahar, speaking after talks between Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas and a senior aide to President Mahmoud Abbas, of Fatah, said the two sides had agreed to take all gunmen off the streets of Gaza and remove checkpoints.
Gunfire still echoed around Gaza as Zahar made the announcement, which aims to end five days of fighting in which at least 30 Palestinians have been killed. He was accompanied by Haniyeh, Abbas aide Rawhi Fattouh and an Egyptian security delegation which attended the talks.
Zahar said the factions agreed to "pull all gunmen from the streets and remove checkpoints... return all security forces to their positions and end all forms of tensions".
They also agreed to hand over those suspected of involvement in the killings to prosecutors for investigation, and prevent the recent bloodshed in Gaza from spilling over to the West Bank.
"The president and the prime minister call on Hamas and Fatah to abide by the above mentioned agreement and to meet immediately to discuss all the remaining issues in preparation to resume the broad national meeting over the formation of a national unity government," Zahar said.
- REUTERS
