Israel ready to give Gaza ceasefire a chance, Netanyahu says

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Nov. 20. Photo by Baz Ratner/Reuters

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told President Barack Obama on Wednesday he was ready to give a ceasefire with Hamas militants a chance, his office said in a statement.

Egypt announced earlier that Israel and Hamas had agreed to a ceasefire to end eight days of fighting in the Gaza Strip that has killed more than 140 Palestinians and five Israelis.

"(Netanyahu) spoke a short while ago with President Barack Obama and agreed to his recommendation to give the Egyptian ceasefire proposal a chance, and in this way provide an opportunity to stabilize the situation and calm it before any more forceful action would be necessary," an Israeli statement said.

Reporting by Allyn Fisher-Ilan; Created by Crispian Balmer