Palestinians in Cairo accept another 72-hour truce

The Palestinian delegation at Cairo's ongoing negotiations Sunday accepted Egypt's proposal to extend the ceasefire in Gaza for another 72 hours, state media reported.

The Palestinian delegation which met Egyptian intelligence officials in Cairo discussed means to return to the truce talks and to reach a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

"The Israeli reply for this proposal hasn't yet been received," Xinhua quoted Palestinian sources as saying.

Earlier in the day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would abstain from the Gaza ceasefire negotiating table in Cairo as long as there was rocket fire coming from the enclave.

"Israel will not negotiate under fire," Netanyahu said at a cabinet meeting held at the defence ministry in Tel Aviv.

"At no stage did we declare (the Gaza offensive) was over," he said. "The operation will continue until its objective -- to restore quiet for a prolonged period -- is achieved. I said at the beginning and throughout the operation, it will take time, and stamina is required."

After intensified talks with Palestinian and Israeli delegations in Cairo, Egypt managed to broker another 72-hour humanitarian ceasefire between the two sides which resumed fighting early Friday when a 72-hour ceasefire expired.

The ongoing Israeli offensive on the restive Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, which is going on for over one month, has left more than 1,900 Palestinians killed and about 10,000 wounded, while Hamas attacks have killed 64 Israeli soldiers and three civilians.