Israel and Hamas agree to 72-hour ceasefire

World Today

It appears a new cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas is in place. CCTV America’s White House Correspondent Jessica Stone reports on the details.

Israel and Hamas agree to 72 hour ceasefire

It appears a new cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas is in place. CCTV America's White House Correspondent Jessica Stone reports on the details.

Israel and Hamas have agreed to a 72-hour humanitarian cease-fire to start Friday, though Secretary of State John Kerry cautioned there were “no guarantees” the lull in violence would bring an end to the 24-day-old Gaza war. The announcement was made in a joint statement by the United States and United Nations. The truce will begin Friday morning – local time.

The announcement came hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to destroy Hamas’ tunnel network “with or without a cease-fire” and as the Palestinian death toll soared past 1,400.

Noting the difficulties that lay ahead, Kerry said: “This is not a time for congratulations or joy or anything except a serious determination, a focus by everybody to try to figure out the road ahead”. “This is a respite. It is a moment of opportunity, not an end,” he added.

At least four short humanitarian cease-fires have been announced since the conflict began, but each has been broken by renewed fighting. CCTV America’s Roee Ruttenberg reports from Tel Aviv with details.

A 72-hour ceasefire between Israel and Hamas

Israel and Hamas have agreed to a 72-hour humanitarian cease-fire to start Friday, though Secretary of State John Kerry cautioned there were "no guarantees" the lull in violence would bring an end to the 24-day-old Gaza war. The announcement was made in a joint statement by the United States and United Nations. The truce will begin Friday morning - local time. CCTV America's Roee Ruttenberg reports.

CCTV America’s Elaine Reyes interviews James Gelvin, professor of Middle East History at the University of California, Los Angeles, to talk more about the newly-declared cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and what it means for the region.

What does the cease-fire mean to Middle East?

CCTV America's Elaine Reyes interviews James Gelvin, a professor of Middle East History at the University of California, Los Angeles, to talk more about the newly-declared cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and what it means for the region.