The ceasefire will begin at 8am local time (0500 GMT) on Friday, 1 August, they said in a joint statement.
The statement said "forces on the ground will remain in place" during the truce, implying that Israeli ground forces will not withdraw.
"We urge all parties to act with restraint until this humanitarian ceasefire begins, and to fully abide by their commitments during the ceasefire," Mr Kerry and Mr Ban said.
"This ceasefire is critical to giving innocent civilians a much-needed reprieve from violence."
Earlier this evening, the US described the shelling of a UN facility in Gaza by the Israeli military is "totally unacceptable and totally indefensible".
A spokesperson for the White House said Israel needs to do more to protect innocent civilians.
"Israel talks frequently about the importance it places on sparing civilian lives but the United States believes its government and military are not doing enough to that end, spokesperson Josh Earnest said at a news briefing.
Meanwhile, the head of the main UN relief agency told the UN Security Council that Palestinians are "facing a precipice" in Gaza,
With more than 220,000 Palestinians already sheltering in UN facilities - four times the number from the last Gaza conflict in 2008-2009 - Philippe Krahenbuhl said he had reached a breaking point.
"I believe the population is facing a precipice and appeal to the international community to take the steps necessary to address this extreme situation," the head of the UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA told the 15-member Council.
"It is past time for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire as called for by the Council," he said.
"The illegal blockade of Gaza must be lifted.".......................http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/0731/634155-gaza-israel/
1/8/14
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UN, US announce Gaza parties agree to 72-hour humanitarian ceasefire...
ReplyDelete31 July 2014 – All parties have agreed to a 72-hour ceasefire in the conflict in the Gaza Strip, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and United States Secretary of State John Kerry announced on Thursday, culminating the latest diplomatic push to end the deadly violence that has gripped the tiny enclave for nearly a month.
Reading a statement at Headquarters in New York, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters that Mr. Ban and Mr. Kerry had announced that the UN Representative in Jerusalem, Special Coordinator Robert Serry, has received assurances that “all parties have agreed to an unconditional humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.”
“This humanitarian ceasefire will commence at 8 am local time on Friday, August 1, 2014. It will last for a period of 72 hours unless extended. During this time, the forces on the ground will remain in place,” said Mr. Dujarric.
“We urge all parties to act with restraint until this humanitarian ceasefire begins, and to fully abide by their commitments during the ceasefire.”
The spokesperson went on to say that the pause is critical to giving innocent civilians a much-needed reprieve from violence. During this period, civilians in Gaza will receive urgently needed humanitarian relief, and have the opportunity to carry out vital functions, including burying the dead, taking care of the injured, and restocking food supplies. Overdue repairs on essential water and energy infrastructure could also continue during this period.
“Israeli and Palestinian delegations will immediately be going to Cairo for negotiations with the Government of Egypt, at the invitation of Egypt, aimed at reaching a durable ceasefire,” he said, adding that the parties will be able to raise all issues of concern in these negotiations.
“We thank key regional stakeholders for their vital support of this process, and count on a continued collaborative international effort to assist Egypt and the parties reach a durable ceasefire as soon as possible,” Mr. Dujarric added.
News of the ceasefire comes as UN relief officials urged the parties to protect civilians amid the ongoing conflict, which has resulted in thousands of casualties and caused widespread displacement and destruction.
“The reality of Gaza today is that no place is safe,” Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Valerie Amos said in her briefing to the Security Council on the latest situation....................http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=48381#.U9sP46Pm7gw
31/7/14
Israel-Hamas ceasefire collapses...
ReplyDeleteThe Israeli military has told people in Gaza it is resuming operations, saying Hamas broke a planned 72-hour ceasefire just hours after it had begun.
The army said it had warned residents to stay indoors.
Palestinian sources said at least 30 people had been killed in an Israeli attack in Gaza. Israel said it was in response to rocket fire from Hamas.
Some 1,460 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have died in the conflict and 63 Israelis, mostly soldiers.
The ceasefire had been brokered by the US and UN to give civilians a reprieve from the violence, and had been seen as an unforeseen breakthrough after days of diplomatic deadlock.................http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-28603599
L’armée israélienne a mis fin vendredi au cessez-le-feu avec le Hamas dans la bande de Gaza, où un de ses soldats a probablement été capturé près de Rafah (sud), un casus belli pour Israël.....
ReplyDelete«A environ 09H30 ce matin», au moment où un cessez-le-feu était théoriquement en cours, «les forces armées israéliennes ont été attaquées alors qu’elles neutralisaient un tunnel» dans la région de Rafah (sud), a expliqué l’armée dans un communiqué. «Selon les premières indications, un soldat israélien pourrait avoir été enlevé par des terroristes durant cet incident», poursuit l’armée.
Suscitant une émotion considérable en Israël, le rapt en juin 2006 du soldat franco-israélien Gilad Shalit avait déclenché cinq mois d’opérations militaires israéliennes dans la bande de Gaza. Le soldat avait été libéré en octobre 2011 en échange d’un millier de prisonniers palestiniens.
Au Caire, le numéro deux du Hamas, Moussa Abou Marzouk, a déclaré que «toute opération (du Hamas) avait été conduite avant le début du cessez-le-feu», sans confirmer ni démentir l’enlèvement d’un soldat israélien, précisant que toute annonce d’une telle capture était du ressort de la banche armée du Hamas à Gaza....................http://www.lesoir.be/614070/article/actualite/monde/2014-08-01/gaza-israel-met-fin-treve-apres-capture-d-un-soldat
1/8/14
The Israeli military says a soldier reported missing in Gaza on Friday is dead....
ReplyDeleteHadar Goldin was believed to have been captured by militants during fighting, leading to the collapse of a ceasefire shortly after it had been declared.
The Israel Defense Forces said it had determined that Lt Goldin had died.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has said the operation in Gaza will continue until it restores security to Israeli citizens.
Hamas had denied it was holding the 23-year-old captive, saying it did not know the soldier's whereabouts...................http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-28627888