Egypt envoy: Gaza factions will keep Israel truce

The Egyptian ambassador to the Palestinian Authority said Saturday that he was confident a truce between Gaza factions and Israel will hold, stemming further violence. Egypt brokered the truce beginning at 1 a.m. Tuesday to halt four days of Israeli airstrikes that killed 26 Palestinians and injured more than 80. Gaza militants fired dozens of rockets into Israel, injuring eight Israelis. Amb. Yasser Othman said despite further airstrikes on Gaza and rockets fired into Israel since Tuesday, the "direction leads to a comprehensive ceasefire." The commitment Egypt secured from Gaza factions was to a "gradual and steady calm," he said. "There is a decision of the factions to have calm and this compatible on the ground," he added. Israel has not transmitted further warnings to Hamas via Egypt that they will launch further military action if Hamas does not stop rocket fire, the ambassador said.