REPORTING FROM JERUSALEM -- Hamas replied to Israel's unilateral cease-fire in the Gaza Strip today by announcing that it and its allies would also hold their fire.
The Hamas leadership in Syria said its own unilateral cease-fire was taking place immediately. The Islamic militant group gave Israel a week to pull its troops out of the Palestinian territory.
Israel halted its 22-day assault on Gaza early today, saying it would keep its forces in place for now. Israeli leaders have not said when the military will withdraw, although they insist Israel has no interest in staying. "We'll play it day by day," government spokesman Mark Regev said after the Hamas announcement. LAT
From Haaretz:
The Israel Defense Forces began a partial withdrawal of ground troops from the Gaza Strip on Sunday evening, hours after ending a three-week offensive on the Hamas-ruled coastal territory.
The move also came shortly after Gaza's Hamas rulers announced a one-week
cease-fire, despite continuing rocket fire on southern Israel.
The IDF would not say how many troops it is pulling out, but Channel 10showed tanks rolling out and smiling infantry soldiers walking toward the border. Some ground forces remained at key points in Gaza amid the withdrawal.
"I can confirm that a gradual withdrawal of our forces is under way," a military source said, refusing to elaborate on when the pullback might be completed. Israel declared a truce early on Sunday that was matched hours later by Gaza's Hamas leaders.
