Israel-Hamas ceasefire holds as UN launches Gaza aid appeal

Ceasefire that ended 11 days of fights holds for third day as international actors continue mediation efforts.

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has held into a third day as mediators spoke to all sides about extending the period of calm after the worst outbreak of fighting in years which saw at least 248 Palestinians, including 66 children, killed by Israeli bombing. Egyptian mediators have been shuttling between Israel and the Gaza Strip, which is ruled by Hamas, to try to sustain the ceasefire and have also met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the occupied West Bank. Egypt’s foreign minister was also set to meet top Jordanian officials on Sunday to discuss de-escalation and ways to revive the Middle East peace process.