The Israeli Cabinet has accepted an Egyptian proposal for a ceasefire to end a week of conflict with Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip that has killed 185 Palestinians and exposed millions of Israelis to Hamas rocket fire.

Gaza’s militant groups today agreed to a ceasefire aimed at ending a three-day round of violence with Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert threatened painful retaliation against Gaza militants today for rockets still hitting Israel six weeks after its military halted an offensive that was supposed to have stopped them for good.

Tens of thousands of children wearing uniforms and carrying satchels flocked back to schools throughout the Gaza Strip today, days after Israel ended its fierce military operation against the territory’s rulers, the militant group Hamas.

Hamas declared a ceasefire with Israel in Gaza in the name of all Palestinian factions today, in a televised announcement by its Damascus-based deputy leader.

Palestinian militants fired a volley of rockets into Israel today threatening to reignite violence just hours after a ceasefire had been called.

Israel implemented a unilateral ceasefire early today in its 22-day offensive that turned Gaza neighbourhoods into battlegrounds and dealt a stinging blow to the Islamic militants of Hamas.