23 Aug 2011

Israel and Hamas agree to ceasefire

6:05 am on 23 August 2011

Israel and Hamas say they have agreed to a ceasefire after five days of violence.

Rockets from Gaza were launched after Israeli air raids on the strip on Thursday.

Israel was responding to a series of attacks in southern Israel that killed eight Israelis.

The Quartet of Middle East peace mediators - the United Nations, the United States, the European Union and Russia - has called for restraint.

The Popular Resistance Committees in Gaza on Monday agreed to halt rocket fire against Israel as a ''temporary'' measure ''for the sake of the Palestinian people''.

The BBC reports more than 100 rockets and mortars were fired into Israel.