Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas announced Tuesday that a deal had been reached with Israel over a long-term end to a seven-week Israeli assault on Gaza, at a speech in Ramallah.

"We announce the Palestinian leadership's agreement to Egypt's call for a comprehensive and lasting truce, beginning at 7:00 pm (1600 GMT) today," he said in a televised address at the start of a leadership meeting in the West Bank city.

*This story was edited by Ahram Online