Rival Palestinian factions held their fire as a truce began today, but gunmen remained on the streets of the Gaza Strip.
No major violence was reported as of 1am, the time set for the truce's introduction after Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas met a senior aide to President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah in a bid to stem a surge of fighting.
At least 30 Palestinians had been killed during five days of street battles, the fiercest clashes since Islamist Hamas, which rejects peace talks with Israel, defeated the more moderate Fatah in elections last year, prompting a Western aid embargo.
The spiralling violence has derailed unity government talks between Hamas and Fatah and prompted some Gazan families to flee their homes. Many shops and schools have been closed.
Foreign Minister Mahmoud al-Zahar, speaking after Mr Haniyeh and Mr Abbas met yesterday, said the two sides agreed to hold their fire and remove all their gunmen from the streets of Gaza.
Previous ceasefires, including one last month, have been short lived.