Joint efforts on in Cairo to reach ceasefire in Gaza

Cairo, July 26 (IANS) Egypt, the UN, the Arab League and the US are working together to reach a seven-day "humanitarian ceasefire" for the ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza-ruling Hamas movement, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukry said Friday.

At a joint press conference with US Secretary of State John Kerry, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Arab League Secretary General Nabil al-Araby, Shukry said Egypt's recent ceasefire initiative is "still proposed" but "none of the parties showed full willingness" to adopt it.

Last week, Egypt proposed a truce which was rejected by Hamas that demanded a comprehensive solution and an end to the Israeli blockade of the restive enclave.

Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip, which started July 8, has so far killed 864 Palestinians, mostly civilians including women and children, and injured 5,730 others, according to the Hamas-run heath ministry. At least 35 Israelis have been killed by Hamas rocket attacks.