From BBC News:Former UK prime minister Tony Blair has said he is hopeful that a ceasefire agreement can be reached in Gaza.
Mr Blair, now a Middle East envoy, said the elements of a peace plan had been accepted, but there was still much work to be done to thrash out the details.
A ceasefire proposal has been tabled jointly by France and Egypt.
The Israelis say they have agreed "on the principles" of the deal, while militant group Hamas says there are "positive signs but no agreement yet".
The development came as Israel halted military operations in Gaza for three hours to aid humanitarian efforts.
The lull, which began about 1100 GMT and ended shortly after 1400 GMT, was the first of what an Israeli spokesman said would be a daily ceasefire to allow Gazans to "get medical attention, get supplies... whatever they need".
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