Temporary truce in Gaza

The temporary ceasefire was due to begin at 8:00 a.m. local time (0500 UTC) on Tuesday after both sides agreed to the deal.

The breakthrough came on Monday after two days of talks in Cairo between Israel and Palestinian groups, including Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, which governs the West Bank.

The United States hailed Tuesday's ceasefire, but said it was up to Hamas to maintain the truce. President Barack Obama has consistently asserted his belief that Israel has a right to defend itself during the conflict. On Monday, he signed into law legislation that provides $225 million (168 million euros) in funding for Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system.

A similar Cairo-brokered truce was rejected by Hamas three weeks ago. The group said it didn't take part in the negotiations that led to the proposal and said Israel must end its blockade of Gaza as a condition to any ceasefire. Egypt, whose current government opposes Hamas, is set to host further talks aimed at a longer truce while the latest one is in effect.

"We hope this will secure a permanent ceasefire and restore stability," the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Deadly campaign

Israel's latest military campaign in Gaza began on July 8, and expanded to a ground offensive on July 17. Almost 1,900 Palestinians have been killed during the bombardment of the coastal enclave, most of them civilians, including hundreds of children. Sixty-four Israeli soldiers, two civilians and a Thai national have also been killed in that period.

Earlier on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said upon the end of a shaky seven-hour truce that Israel's military campaign in Gaza would continue.

"This operation will only end when quiet and security is established for the citizens of Israel for a prolonged period," he said.

French President Francois Hollande said his country recognized Israel's right to security, "but this right does not justify the killing of children and the slaughter of civilians," and called for an end to the "massacres" in Gaza.

The United Nations on Monday condemned an Israeli strike near a UN school a day earlier that killed 10 people as "a moral outrage and a criminal act."

The UN General Assembly has announced a meeting in New York Wednesday to discuss the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

dr/lw (AFP, AP, Reuters, dpa)