Five rockets hit Israel after Gaza factions agree truce

Five rockets slammed into southern Israel from Gaza overnight just hours after militants declared an informal truce following three days of deadly fighting, Israeli police said on Monday.

Five rockets slammed into southern Israel from Gaza overnight just hours after militants declared an informal truce following three days of deadly fighting, Israeli police said on Monday.

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One of the rockets damaged an empty building in the Eskol region which flanks northeastern Gaza, but no-one was injured, police sources said.

Gaza spent a second quiet night without a single air strike, the army said.

The rocket fire came just hours after a Hamas official told AFP that the Palestinian factions had reached an "informal" truce agreement in talks brokered by Egypt.

"We have reached an informal agreement to establish a ceasefire from tonight on condition that Israel halts its attacks," he said on condition of anonymity, explaining that an official announcement would be made later on Monday.

He said Hamas had urged Islamic Jihad to halt its attacks after it fired two rockets at the southern city of Ashkelon on Sunday night.