Israel and militant group Hamas have agreed to end months of bitter clashes with a six-month truce starting on Thursday, Palestinian officials say. A Hamas official said he was confident all militant groups in Gaza would abide by the agreement, brokered by Egypt. Israeli officials said they were ‘looking to see if this is serious’. Earlier at least six Palestinians were reportedly killed in Israeli air strikes in southern Gaza. Israel said it had targeted ‘terror operatives’. Islamic Jihad said a missile struck a car carrying five of its members near Khan Younis. A sixth man died in a separate strike nearby. Two-stage deal Hamas took over Gaza in June 2007, driving out forces loyal to Fatah, the political faction led by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Since then, Israel, the Palestinian Authority and the international community have sought to isolate Hamas. Israel declared the territory a ‘hostile entity’ and has blockaded it in an attempt to pressure Hamas into stopping rocket fire from the strip into Israel. Over the past seven days, more than 20 people have died in Gaza as a result of Israeli military action. In the same […]