ISRAEL, HAMAS TO TRY AGAIN

New 72-hour pause begins in attempt to restart talks

Israel and the Hamas militant group began a new 72-hour cease-fire Sunday that should allow both sides to resume negotiations toward a longer-term truce.

A similar three-day truce that expired Friday was followed by violence over the weekend.

Sunday’s announcement came after hours of talks in Cairo where Palestinian factions accepted the Egyptian proposal for the temporary stop to the fighting that began July 8. Israeli officials later accepted the deal. Both delegations were back in Cairo to resume negotiations today.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said the cease-fire would allow humanitarian aid into Gaza neighborhoods and the reopening of indirect talks on a more lasting and comprehensive deal.

The Egyptian-brokered talks have aimed to jump-start an agreement to end the month-long conflict that has left more than 1,900 Palestinians dead and nearly 10,000 wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. In Israel, 67 people have been killed, including three civilians, according to the Israeli military.

Hamas demands that Israel and Egypt lift their border blockades, while Israel says the militant group that controls Gaza must disarm for any long-lasting agreement to take place.

“We are going to engage in serious talks in the 72 hours to end the blockade and deliver humanitarian materials into Gaza,” said Qais Abdelkarim, a member of the Palestinian delegation.

Israel had walked away from the talks over the weekend as rockets were fired into Israel from Gaza. “Israel will not negotiate under fire,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said earlier Sunday.