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Subscribe to RSSIf the cease-fire holds for 24 hours, Israel will start talking about lifting border control on Gaza. In the meantime, Israeli ground troops remain mobilized in case Hamas resumes rocket attacks from Gaza. NBC's Andrea Mitchell reports.
Updated at 4 p.m. ET: Israel and Hamas agreed to a cease-fire Wednesday, ending eight days of fighting that killed more than 140 Palestinians and five Israelis.
“The United States welcomes the agreement today for the cease-fire in Gaza," U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said at a news conference alongside Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr. "This is a critical moment for the region."
The cease-fire started at 9 p.m. Cairo time (2 p.m. ET). Hundreds took to the streets of Gaza City to celebrate the cease-fire, NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin reported. Celebratory gun fire erupted across the city, whose streets gradually filled with crowds waving Palestinian flags. Ululating women leaned out of windows and fireworks lit up the sky.
"Allahu akbar, (God is greatest), dear people of Gaza you won," blared mosque loudspeakers in the enclave as the truce took effect. "You have broken the arrogance of the Jews."
Both sides fought right up to 9 p.m., when hostilities were due to stop, with several explosions shaking Gaza City and rockets hitting the Israeli city of Beersheba.
If it holds, the truce will give 1.7 million Gazans respite from days of ferocious air strikes and halt rocket salvoes from militants that unnerved a million people in southern Israel and reached Tel Aviv and Jerusalem for the first time.
During the Cairo news conference, Clinton thanked Egypt's Islamist President Mohammed Morsi for his mediation efforts and pledged to work with partners in the region "to consolidate this progress, improve conditions for the people of Gaza, provide security for the people of Israel."
In Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the agreement, adding that he had spoken with President Barack Obama and had agreed to fight together against "weapons of terror."
"Israel cannot sit with its arms folded against its enemies," he said in a news conference.
Hamas paid a big price for what it believes was its return to the world stage. With more than 160 dead, and over 1200 injured, Gazans and their government buildings have endured numerous attacks. NBC's Richard Engel reports.
Netanyahu paid tribute to U.S. diplomacy and Morsi's leadership, but also to Israel's resolve and the armed forces.
"I am proud to be your prime minister," he said.
According to the cease-fire agreement: Israel will stop attacks on Gaza by land, sea and air and stop incursions and targeted assassinations; Palestinian factions will stop hostilities from the Gaza Strip against Israel; Israel will ease the movement of people and goods at border-crossing areas.
Egypt is the "sponsor" of the cease-fire agreement.
In comments following the cease-fire announcement, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said the army had been effective, achieving maximum destruction to Hamas with minimum loss of civilian life.
Barak added that the Iron Dome defense system was "an exceptional success," knocking down 500 incoming missiles.
The exiled leader of Hamas said that if Israel complied with the cease-fire, Palestinians would as well but they would respond to any Israeli violation.
"If Israel complies, we are compliant. If it does not comply, our hands are on the trigger," Khaled Meshaal said in Cairo.
Meshaal also thanked Egypt for helping mediate the Gaza ceasefire and praised Iran for providing Gazans with financing and arms.
The cease-fire that capped a day of 130 rocket attacks, brought relief to the region but also skepticism – especially so soon after a man bombed a bus in Tel Aviv, then escaped. NBC's Martin Fletcher reports.
"We have come out of this battle with our heads up high," he said, adding that Israel had been defeated and failed in its "adventure."
"It failed, praise be to God," Meshaal said of Israel's eight days of attacks on Gaza, which the Jewish state said were meant to stop increasing Palestinian rocket fire from the enclave targeting its cities and towns.
Hours before the cease-fire announcement, an explosion on a bus in Tel Aviv injured 19 people, three of them seriously, an official told NBC News.
Tel Aviv police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told the U.K.'s Sky News that the bus blast took place in the heart of the city and that the surrounding area had been cordoned off as police searched for suspects.
"This was a terrorist attack," Ofir Gendelman, a spokesman for Netanyahu, told Reuters.
The White House condemned the attack as "outrageous." In a statement, it reaffirmed the United States' "unshakable commitment to Israel's security and our deep friendship and solidarity with the Israeli people."
A bomb ripped through a bus in Tel Aviv on Wednesday, wounding at least 16 people. NBC's Stephanie Gosk reports.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri praised the bombing, but stopped short of claiming responsibility.
"Hamas blesses the attack in Tel Aviv and sees it as a natural response to the Israeli massacres...in Gaza," he told Reuters. "Palestinian factions will resort to all means in order to protect our Palestinian civilians in the absence of a world effort to stop the Israeli aggression."
More photos: Explosion hits bus in Tel Aviv
Sweet cakes were handed out in celebration of the blast in Gaza's main hospital, which has been inundated with wounded from the round-the-clock Israeli bombing and shelling, Reuters reported. Celebratory gunfire rang out in Gaza City when local radio stations reported the news.
The last time Israel's commercial capital was hit by a serious bomb blast was in April 2006, when a Palestinian suicide bomber killed 11 people at a sandwich stand near the city's old central bus station.
Related stories
Analysis: Why Hezbollah is sitting out the Gaza conflict
'We are very scared': Egyptians fear being mired in Gaza-Israel crisis
'Army must invade': In southern Israel, support grows for action in Gaza
Americans caught in chaos of Gaza conflict
Like most Western powers, Washington shuns Hamas as an obstacle to peace and has blamed it for the Gaza conflagration.
A U.N. Security Council statement condemning the conflict was blocked on Tuesday by the United States, which complained that it "failed to address the root cause" -- the Palestinian rockets.
Meanwhile, the head of Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard has disclosed his country has given fighters in Gaza the ability to produce longer-range missiles on their own, without direct shipments. The comments, by Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari, quoted by the semi-official ISNA news agency, offer some of the clearest insights on Iran's weapons support for Hamas.
Previously, Iran denied it directly supplied Hamas with the Fajr-5 rockets being fired at Israel in recent days.
NBC's Lawahez Jabari, Ian Johnston and Andy Eckardt, Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Two sides exchange deadly airstrikes, rocket attacks.
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getagrip1......here ya go......What we currently would label the "Abrahamic" Jews (that is, followers of the Jewish religion as defined by Abraham, and a member of the "original" Jewish tribes) are mostly descendants of one of a multitude of small tribes in the Trans-Jordan area (modern Jordan, Israel, Syria, Lebanon, and Eqypt). Abraham probably lived sometime in the early second millennium BCE (likely 1800-1600 BCE), and the local tribe most associated with the beginnings of Judaism are the Israelites, who lived in the area of modern-day Greater Israel around 1100-1600 BCE.
getagrip1.....here ya go, as you requested. What we currently would label the "Abrahamic" Jews (that is, followers of the Jewish religion as defined by Abraham, and a member of the "original" Jewish tribes) are mostly descendants of one of a multitude of small tribes in the Trans-Jordan area (modern Jordan, Israel, Syria, Lebanon, and Eqypt). Abraham probably lived sometime in the early second millennium BCE (likely 1800-1600 BCE), and the local tribe most associated with the beginnings of Judaism are the Israelites, who lived in the area of modern-day Greater Israel around 1100-1600 BCE.
getagrip1........mind you I am not making this up and yes I copy and paste to save time.
The Roman General Titus renamed Judea "Palistine". There has never been a Palistinian people or homeland. It is and has always been the Jewish homeland. You can see the deed in the Bible.
According to the dictionary, the word "Palestine" refers to a region, not a country. The word "Palestine" originally meant "land of the Philistines", who were a non-Semitic and non-Arab people from the Aegean Sea area who invaded nearby lands during the time of the Egyptian Pharoses and then migrated to the region. A Semitic non-Jewish people called the Canaanites were already there. Maps that have been constructed for the Canaanite period label the region “Canaan”.
Actually it was the Ancient Greek historian Herodotus who wrote of a 'district of Syria, called Palaistinê in The Histories, the first historical work clearly defining the region.
The term Peleset is found in numerous Egyptian documents referring to a neighboring people or land starting from c.1150 BCE
We can hope for a long lasting solution. But ultimately I think it is just a matter of time before some douchebag hamas extremist starts firing rockets again.
Just a bunch of kids having a little fun.
A truce is good news, if it holds.
The sure result of any war is that many innocent people who were just going about their daily lives end up victims of the violence.
The cease-fire is a success on many levels.
The United States has proven that we will support Israel unconditionally, that reasonable negotiations with the Palestinians are possible, that Egypt stands with us, and that Iran should be very cautious about influencing violence against our coalition.
The new government in Egypt has preserved the Camp David Accords, shown that they have influence over the Palestinians, proven that they will work with the United States to broker peace in the region, that they are a check on Iranian influence and have strengthened their relationship as our ally.
Israel has shown it won't back down to violent Hamas aggression, that the United States stands with them and that they will continue to Honor the Camp David Accords.
The Palestinians have underscored that they want more freedom and their influence in the Middle East is growing, possibly opening the door to more moderate political leadership and true progress toward a 2 state solution.
Still a lot of work to do, but at least this particular crisis is over.
Actually the new government of Egypt has declared Israel their "number one enemy", and have said nothing about "preserving the Camp David accords".
The Palestinians ELECTED Hamas, Hamas didn't just take over. That should tell you something about how the Palestinians feel about "moderate political leadership".
And the Palestinians don't want a "two state solution". They want Israel DESTROYED.
You really think this crisis if over? Why don't you take a look at what's going on? Rockets have been fired into Israel EVERY DAY for years now, and yet it was only when hundreds were being fired daily and Israel finally STRUCK BACK that the world even took notice.
The ONLY time the likes of CNN and MSDNC even report on that area and the violence in it is when Israel retaliates for the attacks on their nation and its people. They NEVER report the daily attacks on Israel. They never take notice of the ongoing terrorism that Israel has to endure every day.
They only take note when those poor "victims", the Palestinians are attacked by Israel.
Ah yes! Another Obama Kool-aid drinker who think that Obama is going to stand with Israel. What a complete and total fool you are to think that!
Egypt only stand with us because we are giving them US Taxpayer money and our President is an undercover member of the Muslim Brotherhood. Iran and the terrorists are laughing at us because this president will do nothing in response to their attacks. One word..Benghazi!
The Camp David accords are all but done. Do not be so foolish as to think the Morsi and his group of thugs are trying to come up with a way to decimate the Accords. Both sadt and Begin are spinning in their graves.
Yes it is nice to have a cease-fire like in the past 50+ years that never lasted. A for effort and F for final results. I am happy that Egypt has a part in this though. Unless Hamas is gone from Palestine government there will never ever be any lasting Peace. They have stated this thousands of times. Wipe out every person in Israel, period. What is there to understand but what is said and done in the past and present day? I guess you can say better a short cease-fire then none at all. What ever is stated on this cease-fire has been stated in past cease-fires and every time we have killing, bombings, rockets, buses blown up, folks blown to bits. Yeah I know maybe this time, Proof is in the pudding. End hatred, Hamas, bigotry and just maybe we will have a lasting Peace in the area.
Roger – your reference to the Jonestown mass suicide by drinking poison laced kool-aid is pretty repulsive. Most of the right wing crazies have dropped it and you should too. It isn’t clever anymore.
Um yeah the Camp David Accords established the peace treaties between Egypt and Israel. After Sadat was assassinated, Mubarak took over and proved that his government would support the Accords. Now the new Egyptian government under Morsi has proven that they will support the Accords as well.
Looks like MSN caught up....sorry for the multiple posts.
Gee, I wonder how many billions this cease-fire is going to cost the US taxpayer. There will be rebuilding, peacekeeping, bribes, etc.
Oh well, as long as the world's savers and producers, e.g. Japan, China, S Korea and Germany are still willing to lend us trillions of dollars, I suppose we can do it. However, our kids sure are in for a rather unpleasant future
I wonder how many more billions a full blown war between Egypt, Iran, Israel and the United States would cost?
I believe that Israel has exercised restraint in responding to the rocket attacks. Imagine what we (the US) would do if there was a group of people in Northern Mexico firing rockets into the US, and the Mexican government was either unable or unwilling to put a stop to it?
Article updated at 1:11 PM ET makes no mention of Hamas NOT hurling rockets at Israel. Hopefully this was part of the deal.
They can just use the little ones like the ones we use on the 4th of July.
One has to be impressed with Jewish support for a Gaza invasion - what there being
no defending army, home made rockets & some small arms fire against U S supplied
tanks, armored personnel carriers & air support. Gaza has eveyr right to defend itself
against what has been for the Palestinians a nightmare a thousand times worse than
the Warsaw Ghettos the Jews often remind us of. Hillary - who owes her NY senatorial
election to it N Y Jewish base is the last one mediate a fair settlement on the M E issue.
If every American who is supportive of Isreal and it's criminal occupation of Palestine
(including Gaza) could spend one weeki under the Isreali terrorists who manage the
occupation and day to day lives of the million plus who try to survive there - Isreals
60% or so support it now has would be confiined to the congressmen whose
support for the billions of aid that made Isreal the 4th largest military power insuring
there will never be any peace in the M E.frankly they and thier Isreali freinds can
both go to hell - the sooner the better.
One has to be impressed by your out and out IGNORANCE of the situation in the Middle East.
Ther is no "criminal occupation of Palestine". Israel is a NATION recognized by the United Nations. "Palestine" was NEVER recognized as a nation of any kind and NEVER has been in the history of the area. "Palestine" was nothing but a name for a REGION of the Middle East.
As for the "occupation", there is not one SINGLE Israeli soldier in either the West Bank or the Gaza. As a matter of FACT, the Gaza area was FREELY GIVEN to the Palestinians by Israel. They even forced their own people to give up their homes, farms, and settlements and FORCIBLY removed them from the area.
The Palestinians CHOOSE to live in the squalor that they are in. If they'd spend LESS time worrying about how to destroy Israel and MORE time on developing the area they are in, they could be just as economically successful as any other area in the region.
They have gotten BILLIONS of American dollars and what have they done with it? Well, Arafat and his cronies pocketed the biggest portion of it and continued their terrorism against Israel. Hamas uses it to buy weapons from Iran. Not a single DIME of what is paid to the Palestinian government actually ever makes it to the PEOPLE.
And frankly, those that support the destruction of an entire nation, and the death of the millions living in that nation, can "go to hell - the sooner the better", and good riddance.
Hamas is the ruling political party in Gaza, a party that represents the majority of Palestinians in Gaza. Hamas’ charter calls for the creation of an Islamic state in place of Israel and the Palestinian Territories and destruction of Israel. Can you live peacefully next to with a neighbour whose stated aim is to kill you? A neighbour who denies the very right of your existence? How often do you hear of Israelis who want Palestinians to die, just because of their ethnicity or religion? Most Israelis just want to be left alone and to live in peace in their tiny country, which surrounded by vast landed countries like Egypt, Syria, Jordan and smaller Lebanon.
There are anti-government protests in Israel and around the world by Jews who want the Israeli government to treat Palestinians more humanely, to sue for peace, to give Palestinians more of their tiny country. How many Palestinians are protesting against the daily attacks by Hamas? Not many – Hamas represents the majority view. In fact, the Palestinians are demonstrating in support of Hamas in the West Bank and around the world. They rejoice in the murder of Israelis like they rejoiced on the aftermath of 9/11 when innocent people died.
We are all sick to our stomachs about the killing of innocent civilians in Gaza and in Israel, particularly children, and want it to stop, but what are Israel's options? Can you imagine your government’s response if rockets were being fired into your country by your neighbour? How many rockets would be allowed to fall on densely populated cities before your government would take action to protect the civilians?
But of the Palestinian cause. Does it justify the terrorism inflicted upon Israel? Of course, if you don’t believe that Israel has the right to exist, then Israel doesn’t have the right to protect itself, right? Let’s just murder all the Jews and then all your economic and social problems will be solved. If you could only go back to that country that the Jews took away from you 60 years ago, and instead of violent society of murderous fundamentalists who teach their children to hate, you will be a moderate and peaceful society?
This cease fire is BS.....Doing it over and over again and expecting a different result=insanity. Israel, please invade Gaza and wipe out these cockroach Hamas terrorist once and for all.
Smart lady..already working on her election for 2016.
Are you fatso Christie? Or more worried about the Twinkies problems?
HILLARY 2016...to easy
And you want that puffed up greasy haired wench in the White House with Bill lurking around in the back ground? You are what's wrong with this country.
@CREYNOLDS, Yes people want her in the White House, and Bill can lurk all he wants. I was better off with Clinton than I was with Bush, and better off now with Obama than with Bush. Get your crainal/rectum surgery soon, will you?
sally. the reason clinton was successful was because he had a REPUBLICAN congress!!! and he came to the middle!!! this pres is so far left, he may fall off! bush had a DEM congress! got it??
seriously, mike....'fat' comments?? is that all you got???
I seriously doubt that Hillary runs in 2016. She will 69 years old. I am also pretty sure that drunk Uncle Joe Biden will not run either as he will be 76 years old.
Now Sally Ann, while you may be better off under Obama and that may very well be because you now have your Obama phone and the rest of your freebies are currently intact, the rest of this country is not. Unemployment claims have gone over 400,000 for the second straight week. The stock market has dropped almost 1000 points in the last 2 weeks, even though there was a slight uptick yesterday, and with capital gains rates going up on Jan 1, most investors are starting to pull their money out. Employers across the country arre starting to lay people off and get their numbers to under 50 employees so as to not be impacted by Obamacare, you know the free healthcare that really isn't free. The unions destroyed Hostess and will continue to destroy other businesses as they go. And just to top it off, we are being lughed at by the terrorists as the president will not respond in any way, shape, form, or fashion. let me remind you that has been no response to Benghazi which has embolden the likes of AlQaueda that the president lied to us and said were almost gone.
So SallyAnn, I am happy for you that you are better off under this disengaged President, who thinks it is more important to be in Asia on a NON-ESSENTIAL Summit, then be back here helping to solve the bigger issues that we have. Facts did not matter in this election, SallyAnn. The takers outvoted the workers.
Now have a nice day!
Roger - SallyAnn is talking about the real world. You should check it out sometime. It's really different than your alternate reality.
JimS12345 - The real world is that there may be SOME people better off than they were under Bush; but, they are the exception - not the rule. That's reality. The unemployment was NEVER under Bush what it is now. Obama can cry about it all being Bush's fault all he wants. The fact of the matter -econ 101 - is that his policies have only pushed us further in decline. We are a weakened nation under Obama. Our enemies know he is weak and is weakening our country both militarily and financially. We are on the brink of becoming as the Roman masses - which we all know what happened to Rome.
Well said Jules! Well said!
Jim, Jim, Jim, Your naievte is showing. If you think that SallyAnn's world is the real world then you really need to stop smoking what you have been smoking and wake up.
SallyAnn may very well be better off under this current quasi dictatorship. Most of Americans are not and the numbers don't lie. We are weaker under this President and his policies make absolutely no sense. He does not have the economic prowess that Clinton had. Clinton understood economics, Obama does not. redistribution of wealth does not create jobs. Obamacare is not free healthcare. It is a tax! The largest in history. Taking money from those who create jobs, does not create jobs.
Jim this used to be a land of opportunity. It is now the land of the freebie. Those of us who work are tired of supporting those who do not want to work. Republicans do not have a problem helping those who want to get off the couch and make something of themselves. Unfortunately, there are too many who want to stay on the couch.
This 'cease fire' if it is real will last only so long until, inevitably, the two factions will go right back to blows. If anything, this was a good PR opportunity for the US to send Hillary over to smile for the cameras. The rest is hot air, no substance.
Hillary is laying the groundwork for her Nobel Peace Prize.....Obama picked his up a couple of years ago for doing, for doing....something, I think....she's next.
I don't know what Obama did to get the Nobel Peace Prize either but the world was so happy to see a sane person in the white house that they had to do something. After Bush's wars, maybe they gave Obama credit for all the wars he wasn't going to start.
Who cares. There are so many people without homes to go to after the Hurricane. How about caring about our own instead of people who have been fighting since the dawn of time. The only reason they don't is because we pay them.
Keep the money and spend it to help the Northeast recover.
Carefull, now...if you bring that up the press will have to talk about the utter disaster FEMA and the other Federal response has been....don't want to know anything about that.....truth is, once we had their votes (remember, we went to extreme lenghts to get the vote out in NJ and NYC...not so much on getting the electricity turned on, though) we pretty much don't give a sh*t about them.....kinda like New Orleans; when was the last time you saw a press report on how they were doing? I can't remember one either.....
Grandfather - as long as you remember how to get home - that's the important thing. Hang in there.
Message to Israel: Don't break the peace, let Hamas and company do it. Then hit them with everything you have, and put one message out, Hamas started it, we are finishing it. Don't like it, line up with Hamas and go see your Mohammad.
And we all know the truce will be broken by Hamas. It has happened before, it will again. This time, please finish the job.
SallyAnn - Israel has kind of a lot. Maybe they should only hit them with 25% of what they have. Save some for somebody else.
just wonder what hamas gives up at these talks. all they say is what Israel has to give up.. hamas are CRIMINALS, everyone of them..
Islam, the religion of peace - NOT! Sooner or later we'll have to face the fact that Islam can't get along with anyone, not even themselves. When that moment comes, Islam will cease to exist. And, it won't be too soon for me as Islam wants all Christians to convert to Islam or die.
The Muslims killed 3,000 innocent people in the world trade center. Born again Christian George W Bush responded by killing hundreds of thousands of innocent Muslims. The Christians are way ahead.
Another triumph even though it may be temporary for Hillary and Obama. This president not only has sound policies but he also seems to have good luck and the blessing of God. The republicans can't have anything but poor policies and the bitter taste of defeat.
That's funny.
Do you know that the cease fire talks have been going on before Obama and Hillary got involved? Just what did they bring to the table that got this cease fire?
I'm Happy it's over. War is Stupid.
15 minutes! 15 minutes! Last Call...get your final rocket launches in....last call.....
uhhhhh...."Egypt and US Announce Cease Fire" ?!?!?!
Wouldn't it be a lot more credible if Israel and Hamas announced a cease fire ?
I'm OK with it. Netanyahu confirmed it.
High praises for all involved. Any cease fire is a good cease fire. Now as problematic as this thing is people on all sides need to it hard for something longer term.
All warm and fuzzy with the US and Egypt on the podium picture and the participants missing. Sure to be a permanent solution. I don't understand having aUS representative stand up to be the face for Israel or any other country. I expect this agreement to ensure Hamas continues purchasing rockets and other weapons to harass Israel, and for the Arab world to continue saying Israel has no right to exist.
What's the difference in peace between Gaza & Israel and herpes? Herpes lasts forever.