CAZA CITY: Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza Strip announced an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire with Israel on Tuesday after a severe escalation of violence threatened to descend into full-blown war.
The groups, including Hamas, issued a joint statement saying they would abide by the ceasefire as long as Israel did the same. Israel had not commented on the announcement.

Relevant: Palestinian groups in the Gaza Strip announced an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire with Israel today after a severe escalation of violence threatened to descend into full-blown war.
The groups, including Hamas, issued a joint statement saying they would abide by the ceasefire as long as Israel did the same.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office and the military had not commented on the announcement. Israel’s hardline defense minister, Avigdor Lieberman, issued a statement saying he did not support stopping the strikes.
“Egypt’s efforts have been able to achieve a ceasefire between the resistance and the Zionist enemy,” the statement by the Gaza groups said.
“The resistance will respect this declaration as long as the Zionist enemy respects it.” The violent escalation between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza was the worst since a 2014 war.
Seven Palestinians were killed in Gaza over the course of some 24 hours as Israeli strikes targeted militants and flattened buildings while sending fireballs and plumes of smoke into the sky.