Israel accepts 72-hour Gaza truce from Tuesday 8 a.m.

Israel Monday night accepted the Egyptian proposal for a 72-hour ceasefire starting at 8 a.m. Tuesday, and will now send envoys to Cairo to join talks. A Hamas delegation has also approved the ceasefire and agreed to hold indirect talks with Israel. The Egyptian plan calls for using the pause for negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians for a permanent cessation of hostilities. The Netanyahu government had previously consented to the Egyptian ceasefire proposal without preconditions, and is expected now to agree to withdrawing the forces remaining in the Gaza Strip after pulling out the bulk of its ground troops.