Israel agrees to open Gaza crossings

The Israeli regime has agreed to open the crossings into Gaza for transferring humanitarian aid and construction material into the besieged Palestinian enclave.

Mussa Abu Marzuk, a senior official from Palestinian resistance group Hamas, said on Tuesday that Kerem Shalom and Erez crossings are already open.

The senior official further noted that three more Gaza crossing will be opened.

The official also said that Egyptian and Palestinian officials will meet soon to discuss the permanent opening of the Rafah border crossing.

He also said that the fishing zone for fishermen in the Gaza Strip will be increased as far as 12 nautical miles in the Mediterranean by the end of 2014.

An Egyptian-brokered truce between Israel and Palestinians took effect in the war-torn sliver at 19:00 local time (1600 GMT) on Tuesday.

Hamas said the deal marks a victory for Palestinians and called for mass rallies in the occupied West Bank.

“Today we declare the victory of the resistance, today we declare the victory of Gaza,” Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said.

Israel has been carrying out military attacks on Gaza since early July, inflicting heavy losses on the Palestinian land.

Almost 2,137 Palestinians, mostly civilians, including women, children and elderly people, were killed in 50 days of the Israeli onslaught on Gaza. Around 11,000 others were injured.

Tel Aviv says 69 Israelis have been killed in the conflict, but Hamas puts the number at more than 150.

IA/HJL