Israel and the Hamas Islamist group which controls the Gaza Strip have agreed to a ceasefire after five days of cross-border violence, officials said on Monday, August 22.

According to Reuters, one official who was involved in mediating talks between Israel and Palestinian factions in Gaza said the groups had "reached an understanding on a truce and that the truce has started."

A Palestinian official said Hamas had agreed to enforce the ceasefire on smaller militant groups which were responsible for most of the rockets fired at Israel in the recent surge in violence.