Israel, Hamas agree to temporary humanitarian ceasefire

Israel and the Islamist militant group Hamas have agreed to observe a five-hour ceasefire to allow for the delivery of humanitarian aid. A unilateral Israeli ceasefire declared earlier in the week quickly unraveled.

Deutsche Welle, 17 July 2014

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri announced late on Wednesday that following consultations between its various factions, the Palestinian militant group had agreed to refrain from firing rockets into Israel between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. local time (9:00 - 14:00 UTC) on Thursday.

"The Palestinian factions agreed to accept the offer from the United Nations for a cooling-down on the ground for five hours starting from 10 in the morning," Zukhri told the AFP news agency, referring to an initiative put forward by Robert Serry, the UN's special coordinator for the Middle East peace process.

The Israeli army announced a few hours earlier that it had agreed to halt its bombardment of targets in the Gaza Strip for the same period of time, as requested by Serry. At the same time though, it warned that it would retaliate "firmly and decisively" should Hamas or any other Palestinian militant groups open fire on Israel during that time.

The United Nations had called on the two sides to agree to the "unilateral humanitarian pause" so that aid could be delivered to Gaza residents in need of food, water and other necessities.

This is the second attempt to broker a ceasefire since the latest hostilities broke out nine days ago. The previous attempt, brokered by Egypt, in which Israel held its fire for six hours on Tuesday, had been rejected by Hamas, who said it had not been consulted in the negotiations.

The truce agreement came after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met in Cairo with a senior Hamas official in a bid to rescue the Egyptian proposal.

'Tragic outcome'

It also came after four Palestinian boys were killed in what appeared to be an Israeli naval strike on a beach in Gaza. Several hours after the incident, the Israeli military said in a statement that it was under investigation.

"Based on preliminary results, the target of this strike was Hamas terrorist operatives," it said. "The reported civilian casualties from this strike are a tragic outcome."

Gaza medical officials have put the death toll from the Israeli offensive at more than 200. One Israeli has been killed and several others injured in Palestinian rocket attacks since the latest fighting broke out last week.

The European Union and the US have been among those calling for an end to the violence.

EU leaders meeting in Brussels on Wednesday released a joint statement in which they condemned the rocket fire by Gaza militants and called on Israel to "act proportionately" and avoid civilian casualties.

They said they deplored the "loss of innocent lives and the high number of wounded civilians in the Gaza Strip as a result of Israeli military operations."

pfd/crh (Reuters, AP, AFP)

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Kryon Q&A

Question (2002): Dear Kryon, with the escalation of hostilities between Islamic Jihad and Western powers being played on a world media stage, how can a U.S. Light worker respond to friends, family and co-workers who want to ride the patriotic wave and create more warlike fervor?

Answer: This is the test, is it not? We told you many times that the war would be the “old against the new.” You can see now that it is a battle between old and new consciousness. It happens within the old consciousness of the terrorist, and the old consciousness of the one sitting in the western home watching it. It is a worldwide conflict, but it’s about each person… not groups of persons. Doesn’t it strike you odd how you could be at war with something that has no border or defined structure? That’s because it is a war that will be won or lost through the individual choice of Humanity one-by-one.

How can a U.S. Lightworker respond? The answer is with the enablement of “The Third Language.” Again, we tell you that this is a connection with Spirit that gives any Human Being a balanced wisdom to see “within” this battle. First, understand that despite what it appears on the outside, the battle is not between cultures or religions. It is between an old and new paradigm of civilization. Remember also that the U.S. was founded upon the idea that “all are created equally,” and that “all have a right to free choice.” Therefore the answer to your question is this: Respect the one who reacts with anger, for you are seeing basic Human response. However, give energy and wisdom to those in your leadership, and the leadership of the world through your power as a lightworker. Your consciousness can create change. It can shine light into dark areas. You can make a difference, even without speaking a word.

Can you NOT take sides? Can you respect the right to free choice? Can you send light where it is needed despite the overwhelming Human response for revenge and action? Can you love those who might have less wisdom, but much compassion? This is why we call it “work.”

Question (2002): Dear Kryon, I am sure beings are watching very closely over Israel and the events happening now in this territory, and I believe they also take part and assist sometimes. I have the feeling that many miracles already happened and many lives were saved. However, I feel that we, Israelis, need more understanding and empathy from the rest of the world. The dreadful events of September 11 in the USA have shocked us and most of the world, yet we also have to cope with evil, hatred and terror for a very long period. It is getting worse from day to day.

So many innocent people were murdered. Our enemies send thousand of brainwashed young people to murder as many of us as possible. The propaganda is lying in the face of the world - on one hand they celebrate killings and continuous war, while on the other hand they complain that they are victims. Children are sent to fight against us and if some of them get killed our wounded they put the blame on us. How should we react at the moment? Until the light which people send can change the situation and we make the transition successfully, how should we react to the continuous killings - in the name of God, by Holy “Shaheeds” who for their killing “go straight to paradise”? At least we would find some comfort in being understood.

Our enemies spread their false propaganda and everyone listens only to them, while the continuous terror we have to cope with day by day is mostly being ignored by people who have only a very vague idea of the facts. Why do I have the feeling that what is really happening to us is of little interest to most of the world, but so many people are very quick to blame us for being the cause of unrest and terror in other countries? I would like to hear what is your answer to all this.

— A woman and mother from Jerusalem

Answer: My dear Israeli, you have struck the magic chord of the strings of the new consciousness. Indeed your description fits the frustration of the ages. The “unsolvable” problem also was supposed to provide the seeds for Armageddon… an energy which was provided to end the entire earth! What was needed all along, instead, was for the other parts of the world to “see” some of the truths behind the real battle, as we have stated within the first answer. This process has begun. It is slow, but it has begun.

It is not the process of a political coalition, but rather one of education and awareness.

How should you in Israel react? Just like you have for the past thousand years… with patience and endurance. But instead of patience without resolution, you now have something brewing that you never had before: The rest of the earth has had a profound insight as to what it feels like to have this energy at their doorstep. Gone are the days when you and your seeming enemies battle it out with the world turning its back, or not fully understanding the subtleties. Now the major powers of the planet must look at it closely and study the true roots of the issue, not the false ones.

We have said over and over… “As go the Jews, go earth.” Do you understand now? Do those reading this who are NOT in the Middle East understand now? Your problems are now Earth’s problems. You also share them with those on the other side of town [meaning the Palestinians]. They also wrench their hands in frustration, wondering what to do. Do you think other mothers in those areas wish their children to be filled with hate and die? No. As discussed, it is not a group consciousness that is forming, but many individual ones together. This means that there are many in what you call the “enemy” camp, who are beginning to think differently about everything that was impossible in the past to solve. What happens in the future where you live, is what will guide the entire planet.

Be peaceful with the fact that because of the new energy, the leaders will change and the structure will change. You may see the seeds of solution within your own lifetime as governments, schools, and even fundamentalist religions slowly understand that hatred is no longer the energy-hat will bring about the means of what they desire. Force will no longer equal peace... a very old consciousness since the beginning of mankind. It’s easy to die. It’s far harder to live in peace for a long time. This requires a wisdom that is just beginning to form. Let the children lead the way, for as they grow up you will see amazing changes… not like the ones you have seen over and over all your life. The ones who are being “trained to hate” by old energy adults are beginning to ask questions on their own, which may surprise you.

By the way… when the prophet Muhammad spoke of Martyrdom, it was wisdom offered in the context of consciousness of those who would sacrifice their lives on the battlefield of God… a battlefield where warriors fought for unity and for the God of the Abraham! Paradise was never promised to one who would willingly terminate themselves by their own hand. This latter concept came from men, not God.