The Israeli government has denied media reports of an alleged temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the blockaded Gaza Strip.
In a statement from the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, the news that a ceasefire had been reached in Gaza in exchange for the evacuation of foreign citizens and that an agreement had been reached on the entry of humanitarian aid was denied.
Hamas also stated that Egypt had not contacted them in any way regarding the opening of the Rafah border crossing.
Selame Maruf, a spokesman for the Hamas-aligned Palestinian government in Gaza, said of the cease-fire claims:
“Too many things are circulating in the Israeli media and they are baseless.”
It was announced in the media that the Rafah border gate, which opens towards Egypt in the south of the Gaza Strip, will be opened today for the evacuation of foreign citizens and that a ceasefire has been reached for several hours.
Reuters PUBLISHED INFORMATION ON THE AGREEMENT ON THE CESSATION OF FIRE
The US, Israel and Egypt have agreed to a ceasefire in southern Gaza to coincide with the reopening of the Rafah border crossing, Reuters reported, citing two Egyptian security sources.
The Hamas media office says it has no information about an agreed humanitarian truce, reports Reuters.
More than 600,000 residents of the northern Gaza Strip have fled to the south after the Israeli military called on them to do so ahead of a ground offensive, an Israeli military spokesman said, and another spokesman called for pressure on Egypt to open its borders to refugees.
