Hamas rejects proposed Gaza cease-fire deal

Israel has accepted the Egyptian proposed truce in Gaza fighting.

But Hamas has refused to a cease fire until a comprehensive agreement was put in place.

A proposed cease-fire aimed at ending a week-long conflict in and around the Gaza Strip was approved by Israel’s Security Cabinet Tuesday morning, but rejected by the Islamic militant group Hamas minutes later. 

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the proposal by Egypt’s Foreign Ministry had been approved shortly after it was due to take effect at 9 a.m. local time (2 a.m. Eastern Time). Less than half an hour later, a senior Hamas official told The Associated Press that the group had rejected the proposed truce.

The official, Sami Abu Zuhri, told AP that “this proposal is not acceptable.”

Under the terms, the ceasefire should begin immediately, followed by a series of meetings in Cairo with high-level delegations from both sides.

Palestinian officials say at least 192 people have been killed by Israeli air strikes launched eight days ago to stop militants firing rockets into Israel.

There have been no Israeli air strikes into Gaza since the 09:00 ( 06:00 GMT) truce, but at least one rocket has been fired from Gaza into Israel.