Liviagray
Jan 17th, 2009, 09:08 PM
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/18/20090118/twl-israeli-halts-gaza-offensive-3cd7efd.html
Israel held its fire in Gaza Sunday after declaring a unilateral ceasefire in its 22-day onslaught which has killed more than 1,200 Palestinians and levelled vast swathes of the Hamas-run enclave.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had said after a meeting of his security cabinet he was calling an immediate end to offensive operations but added that troops would stay in Gaza for the time being with orders to return fire if attacked.
"At two o'clock in the morning (0000 GMT Sunday) we will stop fire but we will continue to be deployed in Gaza and its surroundings," Olmert said in a speech after the vote.
"We have reached all the goals of the war, and beyond," he added.
An army spokesman confirmed at 2:00 am (0000 GMT) that the order to stand down had gone into effect.
Hamas had said in response to Olmert's announcement that it would not accept the presence of a single soldier in the territory, while Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said the ceasefire should be followed by a full pull-out.
Defence Minister Ehud Barak acknowledged there was "no guarantee" that Hamas would stop firing rockets but said the army would hit back "severely."
Israel held its fire in Gaza Sunday after declaring a unilateral ceasefire in its 22-day onslaught which has killed more than 1,200 Palestinians and levelled vast swathes of the Hamas-run enclave.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had said after a meeting of his security cabinet he was calling an immediate end to offensive operations but added that troops would stay in Gaza for the time being with orders to return fire if attacked.
"At two o'clock in the morning (0000 GMT Sunday) we will stop fire but we will continue to be deployed in Gaza and its surroundings," Olmert said in a speech after the vote.
"We have reached all the goals of the war, and beyond," he added.
An army spokesman confirmed at 2:00 am (0000 GMT) that the order to stand down had gone into effect.
Hamas had said in response to Olmert's announcement that it would not accept the presence of a single soldier in the territory, while Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said the ceasefire should be followed by a full pull-out.
Defence Minister Ehud Barak acknowledged there was "no guarantee" that Hamas would stop firing rockets but said the army would hit back "severely."