United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohamed Amr announced ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. There was no signed agreement. The ceasefire is essentially “quiet in exchange for quiet,” as one Israeli diplomatic source put it.

In the announcement, Clinton reiterated the US’s position that “all rocket attacks must end” and said the US would be working with Egypt in the coming days on the next steps in the process. She said improvement of conditions for the people of Gaza and providing security for the people of Israel would be sought in any long-term agreement and there was “no substitute for a just and lasting peace.”

Claiming his government “takes great interest in protecting civilians,” Libyan Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa has just declared an “an immediate stop to all military operations.”

The announcement was made within the last half-hour, and shortly after statements by both French and British leaders that airstrikes on Libya would begin “within hours.” The airstrikes were authorized by last night’s vote in the United Nations Security Council.