The truce holds: Gaza enters third day of calm

Date: 21 / 06 / 2008  Time:  11:01
Gaza – Ma'an –

The Gaza Strip began a third day of calm on Saturday morning as both Israel and Palestinian resistance groups held fast to an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire.

Palestinians in Gaza, meanwhile, are waiting expectantly for Israel to ease its year-old blockade of Gaza's borders. According to the reported terms of the truce, Israel agreed to allow more vital supplies into Gaza after the third or fourth day of calm.

Fuel and cooking gas are expected to pass through the Nahal Oz fuel terminal near Gaza City, and commercial goods through the Karni crossing, also near Gaza City. The Sufa crossing, in the southern Gaza Strip, will be opened to allow the shipment of building materials such as iron and cement.

The status of the Rafah crossing point between Gaza and Egypt is still to be negotiated. Israel and Hamas agreed to defer the opening of that crossing until after an initial period of calm.

The Rafah crossing is formally under Palestinian and Egyptian control, although Israel maintains effective power to open and close the crossing by controlling the movements of European observers who are required by law to be present at the border.

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