After seven days of cross-border volleys between Israel and Gaza, international mediation efforts reportedly have gained a cessation of the violence, expected to take effect after nightfall.Hamas will now claim victory over the Hated Zionists™...
Palestinian officials in Gaza told reporters that Egypt brokered the deal in negotiations in Cairo. CNN is reporting that Israel denied a truce has been reached and says the deal remains in negotiation.
Israel had put a planned ground operation in Gaza "on hold" as diplomatic efforts swelled Tuesday to halt cross-border aerial strikes between Israel and Hamas militants, now in their seventh day. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton left Cambodia for Israel Tuesday, where she will meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. She will also meet with Palestinian leaders and Egyptian officials on the trip, which the White House says will focus on U.S. interest in a peaceful outcome to the conflict.
U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes described Clinton's possible impact on the negotiations. "It's not a matter of leverage, it's a matter of what is in everybody's best interests," he said. "It is not in the interests of the Palestinians and the people of Gaza for there to be an escalation of this conflict. That would bring with it a huge cost."