Gaza Leaders Agree To Ceasefire With Israel

Palestinian leaders in Gaza have agreed to a ceasefire with Israel. If respected, the deal will end a two-day escalation in violence that threatened to widen into the fourth war between Israelis and Palestinians since 2008.

There has been no official confirmation of the ceasefire deal from the Israeli military authorities, but a correspondent for the French press agency AFP reported that there appeared to have been no rocket fire or Israeli strikes in the hours after the ceasefire was due to take effect.

Israel also lifted restrictions on civilian movements in communities around the Gaza border on Monday morning.

Egypt brokered the agreement to cease hostilities from 0130 universal time, according to an official from the strip's Islamist rulers Hamas and another from the allied group Islamic Jihad.

An Egyptian official also confirmed the deal.

The agreement follows the most serious flare-up in violence between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza since the 2014 war.

The escalation began on Saturday with massive rocket fire from Gaza, drawing waves of Israeli retaliatory airstrikes, and continued throughout Sunday.

At least 25 Palestinians, including at least nine militants, lost their lives.

Four Israelis civilians were killed.