Israel has accepted an Egyptian-brokered deal for a truce in and around the Gaza Strip, Israeli officials confirmed on Wednesday.

Israel public radio reported that Ehud Olmert, prime minister, and Ehud Barak, defence minister, had approved the truce with the Islamist Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip, overnight following the return to Israel of Amos Gilad, a top Barak aide, from Cairo where he had met Egyptian officials who had mediated with Hamas.