Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said today that militant groups promised him they would suspend their attacks on Israel in hopes of ending a nearly two-month-long Israeli crackdown in the Gaza Strip.
Militant groups hedged their bets, denying there was a formal agreement with Mr Abbas, while leaving the door open to a possible halt in attacks.
There was only minor violence reported today, and there appears to have been a drop in rocket attacks against Israel in recent days.
Mr Abbas said the groups reached their agreement late yesterday during renewed talks on forming a national unity government between his Fatah Party and the rival Hamas group, which controls the Cabinet.
The talks broke down after Israel launched a widescale offensive in the Gaza Strip on June 28th after Hamas-linked militants attacked an Israeli army post and captured a soldier.
The militants holding the soldier have demanded a large-scale release of Palestinian prisoners — a condition Israel rejects. Palestinian hospital officials say 220 Palestinian have been killed in the Israeli offensive, most of them gunmen.
AP