Israel, Hamas Agree to Cease-Fire to End Bloody 11-Day War

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel and Hamas have announced a cease-fire to end a bruising 11-day war that caused widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip and brought life in much of Israel to a standstill.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced late Thursday that his Security Cabinet approved the Egyptian-mediated proposal.

Hamas quickly followed suit and said it would honor the deal. The truce was set to go into effect at 2 a.m., just over three hours after the cabinet’s decision.

The move came after heavy U.S. pressure to halt the offensive. At least 230 Palestinians were killed in the fighting, along with 12 people in Israel.