Hamas official: Gaza militants, Israel restore truce

GAZA, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- Israel and the Palestinian armed groups, including Hamas rulers of Gaza, have reached an understanding on a ceasefire after five days of mutual fighting, an official in deposed Hamas government said Monday.

"As a result of the intensified efforts of the government in the last few days, we have reached an understanding on mutual ceasefire," Hamas government spokesman, Taher Nono, told a press conference in Gaza.

He stressed that the Israeli occupation must abide by this truce, otherwise the armed groups in Gaza will keep firing rockets into Israel.

The recent wave of violence began when gunmen leaked into southern Israel from the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula and killed eight Israelis in Eilat City on Thursday.

Israel accused Gaza militants of carrying out the assault and killed 15 Palestinians in various air strikes on Gaza. Subsequently, Gaza armed groups sent their rockets into Israel, killing one Israeli.

Meanwhile, the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC), a militant group in Gaza that Israel accused of carrying out the Eilat operation last week, has also agreed to stop launching rockets into Israel, affirming the halt is only temporary.

"The PRC leadership and its military wing affirm that we will temporarily halt firing rockets for the sake of the Palestinian people," PRC spokesman Abu Mujahed told reporters in Gaza.