Hamas has accepted a ceasefire deal after months of talks, its leadership has announced.
The proposal, brokered by Egyptian and Qatari officials, had finally been accepted by the group this evening - but Israeli sources have already slammed the announcement as a "ruse" intended to frame the country as unwilling to accept a deal.
Hamas's supreme leader, Ismail Haniyeh, had delivered the news on a phone call with the prime minister of Qatar and Egypt's intelligence minister.
The proposal to which Hamas agreed entails a ceasefire, "reconstruction" of Gaza, return of the displaced and a prisoner swap deal, Hamas official Taher Al-Nono told Reuters on Monday evening.
Hamas officials also confirmed representatives would be travelling to Egyptian capital Cairo soon to discuss the agreement, along with "next steps".
But an Israeli official said on Monday the truce was a "softened" version of an Egyptian proposal that included "far-reaching" conclusions that Israel could not accept.
"This would appear to be a ruse intended to make Israel look like the side refusing a deal," said the Israeli official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Reacting to the news, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: "We welcome the statement by Hamas that they accepted the ceasefire with our suggestion. Now, Israel must take the same step."
More to follow...