Hamas says holding fire in Gaza at Egypt's request

Palestinian armed factions in the Gaza Strip are observing a 24-hour halt to rocket fire against Israel at the request of Egyptian mediators, a senior official of the ruling Islamist Hamas group said on Monday.

Ayman Taha said the brief ceasefire went into effect on Sunday evening. He said Hamas would consider an initiative for a longer truce. A six-month Egyptian-brokered truce between Israel and Hamas expired on Friday with a surge of Gaza fighting. (Reuters)