Israel on Wednesday agreed to a proposed six-hour cessation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip for humanitarian reasons, a Israeli senior official told Reuters.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it had not yet been decided when the lull would take place. Hamas had no immediate comment.

The appeal was made by a United Nations official, the official said, confirming Israeli media reports, shortly after Hamas rejected an Egyptian-proposed ceasefire to end the nine-day war in which 215 Palestinians and an Israeli have died.

Israel agreed to the request of Robert Serry, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, to hold a cease-fire for several hours in order to allow humanitarian aid to Gaza. The UN had appealed to Israel to halt its strikes in Gaza for six hours in order to allow in humanitarian aid.

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