A Palestinian official says 11 small Palestinian factions have agreed in principle to a cease-fire with Israel but have expressed reservations about details of an Egyptian-mediated deal, the Associated Press reported. Egypt's proposed cease-fire agreement includes a six-month truce between Israel and the Gaza Strip, an exchange of prisoners and the opening of Gaza's border crossings. Mohammed al-Baba, a leading member of the Popular Resistance Committees, says the Palestinian factions meeting with Egyptian officials Wednesday have pushed for a cease-fire of less than six months and want it to cover both Gaza and the West Bank. The Palestinian factions meeting in Cairo include Islamic Jihad, but not Hamas group that controls Gaza or the Fatah party that rules over the West Bank.
