Senior Islamic Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Zahar announced on Tuesday that a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinians would become active by Thursday 6:00 A.M. local time.

He told a news conference held at his house in Gaza city that "the Palestinian people and the Palestinian factions agreed upon a bilateral ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinians."

Palestinians stand near a destroyed vehicle after Israeli air strikes in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip June 17, 2008. Israeli air strikes killed six Palestinian gunmen in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, medical workers said, amid Egyptian efforts to broker a truce between Israel and militant groups in the Hamas-controlled territory. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) 

"This ceasefire, upon what was agreed upon will be for six months in the Gaza Strip, while Egypt will try to implement a similar ceasefire agreement in the West Bank within six months," said al-Zahar.

Egypt has been mediating truce talks between Israel and Gaza militant groups lead by Islamic Hamas movement. Israel would ease a one-year blockade and stop its operations for stopping homemade rocket attacks from Gaza on Israel.

"A few hours after the ceasefire becomes active, Israel would ease the sanctions it imposed on the Gaza Strip several months ago, including fuels, medicines and food supplies," said al-Zahar.

Right after Hamas movement took control of the Gaza Strip in mid June last year, Israel termed the Gaza Strip a hostile entity and tightened its blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip by cutting off fuel supplies into the enclave.

Al-Zahar told reporters that a few days after the ceasefire agreement is implemented on Thursday, Israel would reopen all border crossing points that were closed down by Israel after Hamas took control of the enclave.

Meanwhile, senior Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya, who attended the news conference, told reporters that one week after the truce is implemented, Egypt will work with the parties to reopen Rafah border crossing.

Al-Zahar said that Egypt would invite representatives of Hamas movement, the Palestinian presidency of Mahmoud Abbas and the European Union representatives to talk about the arrangements to open the crossing.

He also said that Hamas told the Egyptians that it would escalate the process of the prisoners' exchange, adding "we are committed before the families of the prisoners to escalate the efforts to free prisoners for the abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit."

(Xinhua News Agency June 18, 2008)