CRI听力:Israel, Hamas Agree to a 12-hour Ceasefire in Gaza

The Islamic Hamas movement has agreed on a 12-hour ceasefire in the Gaza Strip starting from Saturday morning, a Hamas official said late on Friday night.

Earlier on Friday night Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed on a ceasefire proposal brought by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, starting at 7:00 a.m. local time.

Egypt, the United Nations, the Arab League and the United States have been working together to reach a seven-day "humanitarian ceasefire" for the ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza-ruling Hamas movement.

Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip, which started on July 8, has so far killed 864 Palestinians, mostly civilians including women and children, and injured more than 5,700 others, according to the Hamas-run Heath Ministry. At least 35 Israelis have been killed by Hamas rocket attacks.

Lebanon's militant group Hezbollah has vowed to support Palestinian militants battling Israeli troops in Gaza.

In his first remarks on the conflict, Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Hezbollah, warns Israel that it would be "suicide" to continue waging war in the Gaza Strip.

"From here I say to our brothers in Gaza: We are with you and beside you and confident of your steadfastness and your victory and we will do everything we can to support you."

Nasrallah spoke during a rare public appearance in southern Beirut, marking "Al-Quds Day".

The day was observed by Arabs on the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan to show solidarity with the Palestinians.

Al-Quds is Arabic for Jerusalem.

Hezbollah, a Shiite group, has long been one of the closest allies of Hamas, the main Palestinian Sunni faction which controls Gaza.

But relations between Hamas and Hezbollah soured following the outbreak of the Syria conflict in 2011.